How To Use Commas When Listing

With two list items don t use a comma.
How to use commas when listing. However the final comma the one that comes before the and is optional. For example here is a list separated by commas. I need to go to the supermarket to buy eggs milk bread sugar and. First it is used in a list when three or more words phrases or even complete sentences are joined by the word and or or. With three list items use a comma between the list items and before the and or whatever conjunction if it s your local convention.
A semicolon is used to separate two ideas two independent clauses that are closely related. We might call this construction an x y and z list. Place a comma between each item in the list unless you are writing in associated press style. Commas can be a particularly tricky punctuation mark. Use commas to separate things in a list or series.
If you have a series of three or more items use commas to separate each item. My estate goes to my husband son daughter in law and nephew. When the last comma in a series comes before and or or after daughter in law in the above example it is known as the oxford comma most newspapers and magazines drop the oxford comma in a simple series apparently. They can also be used when listing complex ideas or phrases that use commas within them. This comma is called the serial comma or the oxford comma.
When writing a list you should put a comma between each item except for the last item where you use and. The three musketeers were athos porthos and aramis. Use commas to separate words and word groups in a simple series of three or more items. The comma in front of the word and is optional. While there s some degree of flexibility in how commas are used it s important to have a clear grasp of the rules.
Charlie has to buy flashlight batteries breath butter cookies breath ice cream breath and cake. When you read the list aloud the commas emerge as breaths. You need commas between each item on the list with one important exception. This page explains when to use commas in lists has lots of examples and includes an interactive exercise. The commas between these items are signals.