Proper comma usage??????????????????????
Which of the following is correct:
"I like x, y and z." (Choice A)
or
"I like x, y, and z." (Choice
I was always taught Choice B, but whenever I read a publication, they always use Choice A. Which is correct?
Which of the following is correct:
"I like x, y and z." (Choice A)
or
"I like x, y, and z." (Choice
I was always taught Choice B, but whenever I read a publication, they always use Choice A. Which is correct?
Comments
Both are accepted. B is called the oxford/serial comma. It really depends on what you're reading, who published it, and who wrote it. (Obviously, I am in the oxford/serial comma camp.)
You mentioned you often see the nonserial comma in publications. The Associated Press, which publishes a lot of things discourages the use of the serial comma. Perhaps this is why you see it often.
Here is a link to their stylebook
http://www.apstylebook.com/
Apparently, educators have a problem with the nonserial comma style being accepted and have started campaigning for the oxford comma.
http://www.nationalpunctuationday.com/serialcomma....
Tradtionally, the oxford comma was proper. However, some believe in no comma rules at all, as seen in “Eats, Shoots & Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation” by Lynne Truss.
Here's a review:
http://www.newyorker.com/archive/2004/06/28/040628...
They are actually both correct the rule is that if there are more than 3 items in a list then you use a comma before the and for example I like w, x, y, and z.
However, if there are only 3 items in a list the comma preceding the and is optional. Hope this helps
Choice B is an example of the 'Oxford comma'. I was not taught this myself.
I am under the impression that both are fine (in Australia at least). However, there is may be or may not be an advantage in utilising Oxford comma.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serial_comma
No corrections mandatory. in case you 2nd-wager your self, examine the line out loud and place a comma at typical breaks in speech. case in point, examine your 2 sentences out loud with and without the comma destroy. hear heavily to the adaptation and not which on seems maximum organic.
I personally prefer the second, as it more closely resembles actual speech, but both are acceptable.
Both can be used.
they are both right
Either is fine.