Do you put a comma before and when listing three things?

Should you add a comma before and in a list of three or more items? Yes, because it eliminates confusion in a sentence. The comma before the word and in a list of three or more things is the Oxford comma. It’s also called the Serial comma.

Do you put a comma before or when listing things?

The answer depends on how you are using or. Always place a comma before or when it begins an independent clause, but if it begins a dependent clause, don’t. In a series (or list) of three or more items, you can use a comma before or, but this is a preference, not a rule.

What are 3 major comma rules?

Commas (Eight Basic Uses)

• Use a comma to separate independent clauses.
• Use a comma after an introductory clause or phrase.
• Use a comma between all items in a series.
• Use commas to set off nonrestrictive clauses.
• Use a comma to set off appositives.
• Use a comma to indicate direct address.
• Use commas to set off direct quotations.

Do you put a comma after each item in a list?

Writers frequently wonder whether a comma should go before the conjunction and in a list of three or more items. Despite the fact that not all style books agree on this issue, we recommend using a comma after the next-to-last item in a series—the serial comma, as it is called (or the Harvard or Oxford comma).

What is the correct punctuation when listing?

There are three punctuation marks involved in making a list in a sentence: the comma, colon, and semicolon. Which you use depends on how complex your list is. If you are writing a simple list, you can just insert a comma after each item.

What is the comma rule in a list?

When making a list, commas are the most common way to separate one list item from the next. The final two items in the list are usually separated by “and” or “or”, which should be preceeded by a comma. Amongst editors this final comma in a list is known as the “Oxford Comma”.

What are the rules for commas with a list?

What is the rule for commas in a series?

Commas are used to separate three or more words, phrases, or clauses in a series. This means that when three or more items are being listed in a sentence, a comma goes between each item in the list. For example: John went to the grocery store and bought bread, milk, butter, macaroni and cheese.

When listing Do you use a comma or semicolon?

Usually, we use a comma to separate three items or more in a list. However, if one or more of these items contain commas, then you should use a semicolon, instead of a comma, to separate the items and avoid potential confusion.

How do you format a list?

Format for Lists

1. Use a colon to introduce the list items only if a complete sentence precedes the list.
2. Use both opening and closing parentheses on the list item numbers or letters: (a) item, (b) item, etc.
3. Use either regular Arabic numbers or lowercase letters within the parentheses, but use them consistently.