Vickie Fee

The case of the Oxford comma

Newsroom controversies can arise in unexpected places.

For instance, the Oxford comma, sometimes referred to as the Harvard comma, is a coma placed after the penultimate term in a list (just before the conjunction) when writing out three or more terms. For example, a list of three countries might be punctuated with the Oxford comma as “France, Spain, and Italy.”

The Oxford comma, or Harvard comma can help avoid ambiguity in some cases, but can also create ambiguity in others. The Oxford comma is therefore popular in formal, academic, and literary writing. For instance, “I love my parents, Madonna, and Elvis Presley” is grammatically clear, whereas “I love my parents, Madonna and Elvis Presley” implies Madonna and Elvis Presley are the user’s parents! This is precisely the reason my husband and I decided years ago to use the Oxford comma. Well, my husband does, when it is absolutely necessary for clarity.

a colorful image made up of question marks
Image by Pixabay

However, while the Chicago Manual of Style, used by some journalists, advocates for the use of the Oxford comma, AP style does not use the Oxford comma (except for clarity nowadays), primarily on the basis of saving space. In the past AP Style never allowed Oxford commas, but in recent editions they have lightened up.

In the United States, AP Style is most widely used by newspapers. I have been in newsrooms in the past where some reporters actually argued about this. While if seems perfectly clear to me there are those who insisted that AP Style must be followed no matter how ridiculous it may have seemed at the time, just to maintain consistency.

If you are insulted – but only to you, friend with whom I’ve not worked with – I apologize. I do NOT apologize to the long list of former coworkers and numbskulls with whom I have worked and argued with in the past.

What are your thoughts on the Oxford comma? If this is not a concern to you, are there other grammatical practices that have raised issues for you? I’d love to hear about it in the comments.

54 thoughts on “The case of the Oxford comma”

  1. Vickie, I’m glad you broached this topic. I’m a recent Oxford comma convert. I’ve also recently noticed several changes in grammatical style such as dropping the comma before “too.” Is anyone aware of an accurate inline source for “grammar update alerts”?

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    2. AP has finally admitted their mistake, but they’re still uppity about such things! I may officially convert to the Chicago Style Manual!

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  2. As a punctuation nerd, I always use the Oxford comma. The sole purpose of punctuation is to aid reader comprehension. But commas after words like “So” and before “too?” Here’s my rule of thumb: is a brief pause necessary? In other words, do you intend for the speaker to pause? If not, leave it out.

    And then, of course, there’s the question of the misunderstood colon…but that’s for another time.

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    2. I do try to check the rules and be consistent. But, in my own books a comma has to feel right to me. I’ve only argued with the copy editor over one comma that I can remember. My name is printed on the book, I believe that gives me some authority. (Not sure the editor always agrees with that!)

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    3. Yes! My rule of thumb for optional commas is, does the reader need to take a breath? (Usually, yes.) And to me there’s a subtle difference between “So, are you coming or not?” (Judge-y). “So are you coming or not?” (Mad or hopeful.)

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      2. Like the “Judge-y” vs the “Mad or hopeful” comparisons, and the reader needing to “take a breath”. Easy to remember.

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  4. I have become an Oxford comma convert. In terms of other grammar button pushers, I lose my mind every time I see “it’s” being used instead of “its.” You see it on billboards! Also, my mother HATED it when “there’s” was used instead of “there are.” I.e., “There’s four of them.” You hear reporters making the mistake! I took up the battle on her behalf, but it’s so prevalent now, I’ve kind of given up.

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  6. As for other diversions from punctuation norms mentioned by Patricia and Connie, I have begun drifting away from some of my previous writing habits as laid out in The Elements of Style by William Strunk Jr. and E. B. White.

    The comma at the end of a sentence before adverb additions like “too” have generally become too cumbersome to include, especially short sentences like “Yes, me, too!” LOL

    My current editors at my publishing house have also encouraged me to drop the comma at the beginning of sentences after words like “So” unless I purposefully intend for the reader (or narrator) to pause.

    From what I can tell, these changes are a matter of individual or publishing style and don’t conform to any universal grammar update. 😉

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    2. I always notice when people (often editors) start their emails with, “Hi, Tori,” instead of “Hi Tori,”

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      1. I still appreciate em dashes, but don’t tend to use them in books. But definitely in blogs and emails.

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    4. I refuse to give up my em dashes, Tom! Perhaps when AI sees more people going back to semicolons, though, they’ll adapt in the other direction and we can have our ems back.

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  8. A world without the Oxford comma is a world without order. It is a world filled with chaos, insanity, and craziness.

    Yes, I feel strongly about this issue. 🙂

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  10. Big Oxford comma proponent here, and not just because I lived there for a year as a teenager. Though I hadn’t realized that the AP Style rule was largely to save space–at least they have a reason.

    I once won an appellate brief regarding statutory interpretation based on the lack (or maybe it was the inclusion?) of a comma.

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      1. I wouldn’t argue with a lawyer over grammar. Although, my sister is a lawyer and I have argued with her over all kinds of things!

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  15. *Flinging commas, in Oprah voice* “And you have a comma, and you have a comma, and you…” From the number of comments here, Vickie, this particular subject definitely hit a nerve! What drives me extra crazy? “She has blonde hair.” No, the woman may be a blonde, but her hair is blond. And so is his. Arghhhhhh!!!!

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  16. Team Oxford comma!

    Now used to the lack of commas before “too” after I had to remove a million of them on my first book due to house style. Same with the two spaces after periods, which was a hard habit to break!

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