Commas are deceptively simple to use, but it always feels like writers always take one of two roads: too many commas or too few commas. It is possible to have a healthy writing relationship with commas, but we have to understand why we use them when we do. So, let’s dive into the world of commas and start with one of the most debated topics in comma usage: lists!
Lists
Using commas to indicate a list of three or more items is almost universal when it comes to writing systems. Commas are mainly used to indicate a brief pause in a sentence or for clarity. When it comes to lists, commas are used for both of these reasons! In many ways, writing reflects speech. If you were to say a list of items aloud to another person, you would naturally pause between each item to give that person a chance to remember or write down each item. Using commas in a list works in the exact same way.
Example: We need to buy potatoes, cheese, and rice for dinner tonight.
If we were to remove all the commas, you would be left with the very interesting task of searching for an item called “potatoes cheese” and would probably return home empty handed and confused.
The Oxford Comma
I mentioned earlier that commas in lists are highly debated, but the real debate comes down to one specific comma: the Oxford comma. Also known as the serial or Harvard comma, the Oxford comma has somehow succeeded in sparking the passion of writers around the world for centuries.
But what is the Oxford comma?
If you look at the example above, our list consisted of three items: potatoes, cheese, and rice. The Oxford comma is the last comma to appear in the list, in this instance coming after “cheese”. Some writers and official style guides stand by the Oxford comma, saying that it is always necessary for clarity and should always be present. Others bite back saying that the Oxford comma interrupts the flow of the sentence and should only be used in cases of extreme unclarity.
The danger of not using the Oxford comma is general confusion. Although this seems minor in a novel or an article, it could have expensive consequences in real life. If a law or an employee manual is unclear, it could result in unintended loopholes or license for legal action. A prime example of this was a Maine dairy lawsuit, in which employees successfully sued a company for four years of overtime pay because the law clarifying what qualified for overtime pay was unclear. And the confusion was all caused by not using the Oxford comma at the end of a list.
Regardless of which school of thought you follow, it is important to choose one style and stick to it when writing. Consistency is always key.
Sources: https://www.grammarbook.com/punctuation/commas.asp
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/09/us/oxford-comma-maine.html
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