Does The Comma Go Before Or After And In A List
Use a comma before a conjunction conjunction are words like and or and but when it joins two independent clauses.
Does the comma go before or after and in a list. The oxford or serial comma. If you consider that list to be a unit the answer will depend on the place that unit holds within the sentence. He came saw and conquered rome. 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.
Comma before and in ap style. Always place a comma before or when it begins an independent clause but if it begins a dependent clause don t. Notice also that when a non restrictive. Do not use a comma before a conjunction that joins list items unless you re an american or your institution advocates the serial comma.
You usually put a comma before and when it s connecting two independent clauses. You may have learned that the comma before the and is unnecessary which is fine if you re in control of things. You can use the same three part rule for a sentence with commas for and or yet and so as well. 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.
People often get muddled about whether to place a comma before conjunctions like and so because and or. If the sentence is combining two independent clauses together then the comma should appear. However there are situations in which if you don t use this comma especially when the list is complex or lengthy these last two items in the list will try to glom together like macaroni and cheese. Since you can still tell what or which type of thing the sentences are about you know the deleted phrases are non restrictive and the commas are necessary.
In section 4 03 of apa 6 the serial comma is clearly required. Comma before or after other words. It s almost always optional to put a comma before and in a list. Exactly why this particular quirk of comma usage stirs such passions is hard to say.
Between elements including before and and or in a series of three or more items in fact apa even requires the serial comma to be included in in text references. Smith smith jones 2016. Here are some examples. Using a comma before and in a list.
Omit the comma in parentheses because he verb phrase noun doesn t require a comma between the verb phrase and the noun. A lot of people have strong feelings about putting a comma before and in a list. Use a comma before the conjunction when the two sentence halves can stand alone. There s no single rule that applies to all situations.
Is there a comma after a list with an oxford comma. Writers frequently wonder whether a comma should go before the conjunction and in a list of three or more items.