Results for “what is the oxford comma” · retrieved September 22, 2026
The Oxford comma is an optional comma used before the final conjunction in a list of three or more items to help clarify the separation between those items.
Answer details
Placement and Usage
It is placed after the second-to-last item in a series, just before the word "and" or "or." For example: "eggs, toast, and orange juice."
Alternative Names and Origin
It is also called the serial comma or Harvard comma. The term "Oxford comma" became popular due to its inclusion in the Oxford University Press style guide in 1905.
Debate and Consistency
Proponents argue it prevents ambiguity, while opponents often omit it to save space or follow traditional conventions, particularly in journalism and British English. Consistency within a document is generally recommended.
Style Guide Variations
Style guides differ: the Chicago Manual of Style and MLA Handbook typically require it, whereas the AP Stylebook and many British style guides generally advise against it.
Sources 8
About this answerWhat Is the Oxford Comma (or Serial Comma)?
The Oxford (or serial) comma is the final comma in a list of things....The Oxford comma is the one right after pen....The use of the Oxford comma is a matter of style, meaning that some publishing styles stipulate its use while others don’t. It’s not grammatically incorrect to use the Oxford comma or to skip it, but you should be consistent one way or the other. It’s worth noting, however, that the Oxford comma can sometimes help avoid confusion
March 3, 2025
Serial comma
The serial comma (also referred to as the Oxford comma [1] or Harvard comma) [2] is a comma placed after the penultimate term in a list (just before the conjunction) when writing out three or more terms. [3] [4] [5] For example, a list of three countries might be punctuated with the serial comma as "France, Italy, and Spain" or without it as "France, Italy and Spain". The serial comma can help avoid ambiguity in some situations, but can also crea
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The Oxford Comma - The Blue Book of Grammar and Punctuation
What Is the Oxford Comma?...An Oxford comma is the final comma that can be used or omitted in a series. For example, consider the two following sentences:...The meaning of each sentence is the same, but the second one has an additional comma after “oranges.” That optional comma before the last item in the series is known as the Oxford comma. You may have noticed that, at least in this example, the meaning and clarity of each sentence is the sa
August 9, 2021
What is an Oxford Comma? || Oregon State Guide to Grammar
It goes by many names: the Oxford comma, the Harvard comma, or the final serial comma. And if I had written down that last sentence, I might have used one. Most people know that when you have a list, or series, the convention is to separate each item with a comma. We call those serial commas, and many people have been taught the last one is optional. But that’s not exactly true....The actual rule is that when we have a list of items, we always ne
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Serial Comma (aka Oxford Comma or Harvard Comma) .
- Oxford Reference...Serial Comma(aka Oxford Comma or Harvard Comma)....Source:Garner's Modern English UsageAuthor(s):Bryan A. Garner...This punctuation mark—the comma before the last item in a list, normally preceded by a conjunction—has been mystifyingly controversial. Social-media posts have long been full of acrimonious debates about it. In response to a Twitter poll that I posted in ......
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Oxford Comma
The Oxford comma—also known as the serial comma, series comma, or Harvard comma—is defined as the comma after the penultimate item in a list of three or more items, before “and” or “or.” Stated in another way, it’s the use of a comma before the conjunction in a list of three or more items....● I went to the store to buy cherries, raisins, and oranges for the fruitcake that I’m making. ● We can get pizza, noodles, or sandwiches for lunch. Backgrou
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Oxford comma, n. meanings, etymology and more | Oxford English Dictionary
Oxford comma, n. meanings, etymology and more | Oxford English Dictionary Oxford comma noun...What does the noun Oxford comma mean? There is one meaning in OED's entry for the noun Oxford comma. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definition, usage, and quotation evidence. See meaning & use...What is the earliest known use of the noun Oxford comma? Earliest known use1970sThe earliest known use of the noun Oxford comma is in the 1970s.OED's earliest
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Oxford Comma
An Oxford Comma is a comma used before the conjunction (usually "and") in a list of three or more items. For example:...The whole world agrees that when there are two single-word items in a list, there is no need to use a comma before the "and" (called a coordinating conjunction). For example:...NB: At this point, we're not talking about the Oxford Comma. We're just talking about a clarity issue. The Oxford Comma is a comma used when there are th
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