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Anonymous Posted 20 years ago
Essay & Composition Writing

Does a comma....

Does a comma come before "and" when used in this way..... "Please joy us for hotdogs, carjackers, popcorn, licorice and soda."

PLEASE HELP ME. I work with co-workers that have M.B.A.'s and we have no clue!!!!!!
  

Top answer

A comma before the final and is called the Oxford comma. Here is Oxford's comment: The 'Oxford comma' is an optional comma before the word 'and' at the end of a list: We sell books, videos, and magazines. It is so called because it was traditionally used by printer's readers and editors at Oxford University Press.

  • A comma before the final and is called the Oxford comma.
  • Here is Oxford's comment: The 'Oxford comma' is an optional comma before the word 'and' at the end of a list: We sell books, videos, and magazines.
  • It is so called because it was traditionally used by printer's readers and editors at Oxford University Press.
  • Sometimes it can be necessary for clarity when the items in the list are not single words: These items are available in black and white, red and yellow, and blue and green.
  • Some people do not realize that the Oxford comma is acceptable, possibly because they were brought up with the supposed rule (which Fowler would call a 'superstition') about putting punctuation marks before and .
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4 Answers
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A comma before the final and is called the Oxford comma. Here is Oxford's comment:

The 'Oxford comma' is an optional comma before the word 'and' at the end of a list:
We sell books, videos, and magazines.
It is so called because it was traditionally used by printer's readers and editors at Oxford University Press. Sometimes it can be necessary for
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Hi,

Does a comma come before "and" when used in this way..... "Please joy us for hotdogs, carjackers, popcorn, licorice and soda."

Some people will tell you 'Yes', but others, including me, will tell you 'No'. This use of a comma before 'and' is referred to as an Oxford comma. It gets debated here quite a lot. If you search for this term, you'll find
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I always stand by it that a comma NEVER comes before 'and'. But that's just me. Hope this helps.
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Commas always come in before FANBOYS words.At least that is what I'm being taught in school rite now.(8th grade)
For
And
Nor
But
Or
Yet
So

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