In its own text, the guide by Cambridge omits serial commas; Oxford’s retains them. So for British English, use serial commas or omit them, but do so consistently.
Does the New York Times use the Oxford comma? (In most cases, The Times stylebook discourages the serial comma, often called the Oxford comma because it was traditionally used by the Oxford University Press.) It appears the Maine Legislature has learned its lesson, at least.
Likewise Does MLA use Oxford comma?
The Modern Language Association (MLA), American Psychological Association (APA), Chicago Manual of Style (CMS), and Oxford University Press all support the Oxford comma. Many love the Oxford comma because they were taught to use it growing up, and old habits die hard.
Is Oxford comma used in Australia? Typically, in Australian English, we only use an Oxford comma when a list would be unclear without one, such as in the example sentence above. In American English, it is often standard to use an Oxford comma in lists.
Do Brits use the Oxford comma?
Serial/Oxford Comma
Despite being named after a British University, the Oxford comma (the comma used before “and” in lists (e.g., I like wookies, ewoks, and droids)) is not considered standard in UK English because only one style guide (Oxford) recommends it.
How does a comma cost a million? Rather than a missing comma, an unwanted comma in US Tariff Act of 1872 cost the US Government two million dollars (around $38.4 million in today’s money). The issue arose because of a clause that exempted “fruit plants” from import tariffs.
Who invented the Oxford comma?
The Oxford comma has been attributed to Horace Hart, printer and controller of the Oxford University Press from 1893 to 1915, who wrote Hart’s Rules for Compositors and Readers in 1905 as a style guide for the employees working at the press.
Is Oxford comma right or wrong? The Oxford comma comes right after eraser. Use of the Oxford comma is stylistic, meaning that some style guides demand its use while others don’t. … Unless you’re writing for a particular publication or drafting an essay for school, whether or not you use the Oxford comma is generally up to you.
Who created the Oxford comma?
The Oxford comma has been attributed to Horace Hart, printer and controller of the Oxford University Press from 1893 to 1915, who wrote Hart’s Rules for Compositors and Readers in 1905 as a style guide for the employees working at the press.
Are commas real? The most important thing to remember about the comma is what it does is separate sentence elements. It can separate clauses, it can separate items in a list, it can separate dates. Usually, when you’re trying to make a separation within a sentence, you use a comma. … So, commas can’t go at the end of a sentence.
Does America use Oxford comma?
The Serial/Oxford Comma
The serial comma (also known as the “Oxford comma” in the UK) is a comma placed before the last item in a list of three or more things. Most American English style guies recommend using this comma as standard: I believe in good spelling, grammar, and punctuation.
Does Mr have a full stop? British usage favours omitting the full stop in abbreviations which include the first and last letters of a single word, such as Mr, Mrs, Ms, Dr and St; American usage prefers (A) Mr., Mrs., Ms., Dr. and St., with full stops. Most other abbreviated titles, however, require a full stop, as shown above.
How are commas used in Australia?
Commas
- Use commas to separate items (words, phrases or numbers) in a series.
- Use a comma to set off introductory words, mild interjections or names at the beginning of a sentence.
- Use a comma before and after interruptions (embedded phrases and clauses) in a sentence.
Do Americans use an Oxford comma? The Serial/Oxford Comma
The serial comma (also known as the “Oxford comma” in the UK) is a comma placed before the last item in a list of three or more things. Most American English style guies recommend using this comma as standard: I believe in good spelling, grammar, and punctuation.
Which countries use the Oxford comma?
Although its use is widespread in North America, the Oxford comma is not as widely used in Australia and the UK. The Australian government’s Style Manual for Authors, Editors and Printers merely says “sometimes a comma is placed between the last two items to ensure clarity” and doesn’t use it in the manual’s title.
Are Oxford commas necessary? The Oxford comma is the comma placed before the conjunction at the end of a list of things. … Proponents of the Oxford comma say it’s necessary for removing ambiguity in sentences. Of course, there are detractors as well, writers who vehemently oppose the use of the Oxford comma, seeing it as superfluous.
Why do lawyers not use punctuation?
It makes a document easier to read and can also convey meaning. The use in legal documents is usually only for the former so that the removal of the punctuation will not alter the meaning of the document. … Maybe it is this idea of ‘clarity without punctuation’ coupled with tradition that omits its usage in Wills.
Does the BBC use the Oxford comma? Write a, b and c – not a, b, and c. The latter style is common in American English but in British English is nonstandard, though it is preferred by Oxford University Press, giving the comma its other name – the Oxford comma.
When a misplaced comma Proves Costly?
The misplaced comma
Unfortunately the formula used to work out the price of the aircraft had a typo: a comma that was one decimal place out. A senior Lockheed executive at the time was quoted as saying: “That comma cost Lockheed $70m.”
What is the opposite of the Oxford comma? “To separate the elements (words, phrases, clauses) of a simple series of more than 2 elements, including a comma before the closing ‘and’ or ‘or’ (the so-called serial comma). Routine use of the serial comma helps to prevent ambiguity.” “Whether to include the serial comma has sparked many arguments.
Why is the Oxford comma so called?
What Is the Oxford Comma? The Oxford comma is the final comma that comes before the conjunction in a list of three or more items. Its name comes from the Oxford University Press (OUP), where for over a century it has been standard in the Oxford Style Manual.
What are your thoughts on the Oxford comma? If you use the Oxford comma, you are essentially saying “and and.” My opinion, that makes you look less intelligent. That being said, there are times when the Oxford comma is needed for clarification, but restructuring the sentence may be able to make that unnecessary.
What is the difference between an Oxford comma and a regular comma?
When you’re writing a list, you naturally include commas to separate each item, but an Oxford comma is when you also put a comma before the “and [Final Item]”. For example: Without Oxford comma: “Her favourite foods were chocolate, marshmallows, cake and chicken.”
Does resume need Oxford comma? The Oxford comma is not grammatically necessary, and many people choose not to use it. However, in certain instances, the lack of comma can cause confusion. … Although it isn’t grammatically necessary, it can be a good idea to use the Oxford comma in resumes since these contain many lists.