Welcome to the Grammar Minute, where we’re saving the English language sixty seconds at a time! I’m Lauren Smyth, and this is your reminder to use the Oxford comma. Or maybe you call it a serial comma. It doesn’t matter what you call it: it’s the comma before “and” in a list, and it’s very important.
The classic example is this perplexing sentence: “This book is dedicated to my parents, Ayn Rand, and God.” Without a comma before the “and,” it sounds like the author’s parents are Ayn Rand and God. It’s unclear whether the book is dedicated to all three or whether “Ayn Rand and God” is an adjective phrase meant to define “parents.” Also, if you notice how I read that sentence, there’s a natural pause before the “and” that is best captured by—you guessed it—a comma.
Just use the Oxford comma. Or serial comma. Or whatever you want to call it. Call it anything you want, but please—use it. Unless you’re writing in AP style, in which case … send them an email and ask them to please update their style book to include the Oxford comma.
That’s your Grammar Minute! Visit thegrammarminute.com for more tips and tricks.