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title: "Commas"
canonical: "https://documentation.chaos.com/space/DOCSGUIDE/113289255/Commas"
format: markdown
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This article explains what Oxford comma is and why you might want to use it.


## **Overview**

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In English-language punctuation, an Oxford comma (also called a serial comma, series comma, or Harvard comma) is a comma placed immediately before the coordinating conjunction, such as 'and' or 'or' in a series of three or more terms. For example, a list of three fruits might be punctuated either as 'apple, pear and peach' (without the Oxford comma) or 'apple, pear, and peach' (with the Oxford comma).

**Usage 1**

Oxford comma can resolve ambiguity; without it the meaning of the sentence can be altered.

For example, in the sentence 'Her favorite foods were chocolate, marshmallows, cake and chicken.' the version without the Oxford comma could be interpreted as meaning that one of the girl’s favorite foods was 'cake and chicken' mixed together. Adding the Oxford comma makes it clear that these are two separate foods. 

**Usage 2**

Oxford comma usage is also consistent with other means of separating items in a list (for example, when semicolons are used to separate items, one is always included before the last item).

**Usage 3**

It more closely replicates the spoken rhythm of the sentence. 

Note that some people are opposing the Oxford comma. Omitting it is often characterized as a journalistic style of writing, as contrasted with a more academic or formal style where the use of Oxford comma is recommended. The use of Oxford comma is generally more common among American style guides than it is among British ones.

It is important that usage within a document be consistent; inconsistent usage can seem unprofessional.


## **Examples**

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### Usage examples

- I like oatmeal, eggs, and fruit salad for breakfast.
- Erika, Andy, and Isaac live on Maple Avenue.
- First-year writing skills include prewriting, outlining, editing, and revising.
- Be sure to buy mulch, seeds, flowers, and fertilizer.
- Launch in five, four, three, two, one, and blast off!

### Confusion examples

Omitting it can sometimes cause some strange misunderstandings.

- I love my parents, my dog and my cat.

Without the Oxford comma, the sentence above could be interpreted as saying you love your parents, and your parents are your dog and your cat. Here’s the same sentence with the Oxford comma:

- I love my parents, my dog, and my cat.

This ambiguity could also be avoided by rephrasing the sentence to 'I love my dog, my cat and my parents' in a non-academic or informal text.


## **Ambiguation**

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In certain situations, however, Oxford comma can actually create ambiguity. This can arise as a result of a construction called an apposition, which is used to add identifying information about the previous clause. For example:

- We are working with John, a farmer, and Tom.

It’s easy to read this sentence as meaning 'We are working with two people – a farmer called John and another person called Tom'. In this case, the Oxford comma before the final conjunction has added confusion, because it means that 'the farmer' can now be read as an apposition. If the meaning of the sentence was actually that we are working with three people – John, Tom and a farmer – then either removing the Oxford comma or rephrasing altogether would be more clear.

- We are working with John, Tom, and a farmer.