serial comma
Final list separator
A serial comma is the comma placed before the conjunction in a list of three or more items: We bought apples, oranges, and bananas.
Also called the Oxford comma.
Style guides disagree on whether to use it, but it can prevent ambiguity: I love my parents, Batman, and Wonder Woman clarifies that Batman and Wonder Woman aren't your parents.
Written clarity symbols
- syntaxRules for arranging words
- conjunctionWord joining clauses together
- enumerationSequential listing of items
- sentence structureWord arrangement in clauses
Publication formatting rules
- Strunk and WhiteWriting manual authors
- house styleConsistent editorial conventions
- editorial standardCriteria for acceptable content
- journalistic styleConventions of news writing
academic writing · legal writing · copyediting · proofreading · consistency · stylistic choice
Removing uncertainty about meaning
- ambiguityOpenness to multiple interpretations
- misreadingIncorrect interpretation of text
- precisionAccuracy of measurement
- unambiguousAllowing single interpretation only
interpretation · meaning · readability · comprehension · clear communication · confusion · misunderstanding · parsing
Prolonged public disagreement
- preferenceFavored choice among alternatives
- mandatoryRequired by rule
- optionalNot mandatory
- traditionalistAdherent to established customs
punctuation
Written clarity symbols
- syntaxRules for arranging words
- conjunctionWord joining clauses together
- enumerationSequential listing of items
sentence structure · clause · appositive · compound sentence · written English
style guide
Publication formatting rules
- Strunk and WhiteWriting manual authors
- house styleConsistent editorial conventions
- editorial standardCriteria for acceptable content
journalistic style · academic writing · legal writing · copyediting · proofreading · consistency · stylistic choice
disambiguation
Removing uncertainty about meaning
- ambiguityOpenness to multiple interpretations
- misreadingIncorrect interpretation of text
- precisionAccuracy of measurement
unambiguous · interpretation · meaning · readability · comprehension · clear communication · confusion · misunderstanding · parsing · delineation
controversy
Prolonged public disagreement
- preferenceFavored choice among alternatives
- mandatoryRequired by rule
- optionalNot mandatory
traditionalist · modernist · prescriptivist · book publishing
series, serial, comma, commas, serially, serialized, serials, serialize, serialization