I looked up the right way to use commas in a list. don't laugh - sometimes there are just things that don't stick. For instance, it always takes me an extra second to remember how to spell "guaranty" and listing commas are like that too.
So, I finally found something that helps me remember: the comma is a replacement for the word and and or.
It goes like this:
The Three Musketeers were Athos, Porthos and Aramis.
Because it also goes like this:
The Three Musketeers were Athos and Porthos and Aramis.
It doesn't go like this:
The Three Musketeers were Athos, Porthos, and Aramis.
Because it doesn't go like this:
The Three Musketeers were Athos and Porthos and and Aramis.
I know that's a simplified version of the rule but it helps me remember! Here are two more sites to help:
One Two
6 hours ago
maybe the reason you have a hard time remembering is that comma usage has changed since we were taught as young-uns and now... i was taught that THIS is correct:
ReplyDelete"The Three Musketeers were Athos, Porthos, and Aramis."
but then in college it turned out that THIS is also correct.
"The Three Musketeers were Athos, Porthos and Aramis."
but i still stick to the first way - pretty sure you can use either way.
I love this lesson. You know what IT DID CHANGE. Julia is right. Sometimes I use the "extra" comma and sometimes I don't and I never knew what way was right or wrong because I was also taught both. sheesh.
ReplyDeleteI don't think there is a right answer to this at all. It's the great serial comma debate. In AP style, what I use in PR, it's fluid. If you have a short list, say the three musketeers example, you drop the serial comma. But if it's a long list, say you were listing the seven dwarves, we'd use a serial comma. And then there's a gray area where my boss, the chief editor of the world (so he thinks!), will use a serial comma if he thinks it makes the sentence make more sense (say not listing one word series, but talking about more complicated product features). So confusing!
ReplyDeleteyesterday i just looked up where to put punctuation when you use parenthesis. some things just dont stick from grammar school.
ReplyDeleteLol! Great way to remember it :)
ReplyDeleteI know my grammar could be better, but what can you do?? (Did I use it correctly?)
I was going to jump on this and mention the Oxford (serial) comma, which I love and find to help clarify in all sorts of situations... but Brittany beat me to it. :-)
ReplyDeleteBut - clearly - I am PRO Oxford comma. Some sentences can have dual meanings if you leave out the extra comma, or can be otherwise confusing. (I've been an editor for five years, so I know from experience just how helpful that one little comma can be.)
Go Oxford comma!
(Guess it's a hotly-debated grammatical topic for a reason!)
fabulous reminder! i know i never put my commas right! :D
ReplyDeleteI totally know that! But I've never seen it explained like that before...so easy to remember :)
ReplyDeleteLove it. Noted.
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ReplyDeletehttp://thewellsugaredstudent.blogspot.com/2010/02/serial-commas.html
ReplyDeleteI recently did a post about serial commas, too. Odd! Anyhow, I came to the opposite conclusion. I prefer the serial common for clarity, but sometimes I forget to use it b/c AP style was drilled into my head in undergrad.