What is the Oxford comma?
The Oxford comma is the comma that is placed after the second to last element in a list of grammatical elements, such as the one highlighted in the sentence below:
- Yesterday, I ate a burger, some pizza, and a lot of nuts.
While NOT using the Oxford comma is not considered grammatically incorrect, we do advise that students get into the habit of always including it, simply because doing so can avoid confusion for the reader. Consider the following 2 examples:
- I love my parents, Lionel Messi, and Lady Gaga. (Here, it is clear to the reader that I love all 3 of these people.)
- I love my parents, Lionel Messi and Lady Gaga. (Here, the reader might be led to believe that my parents are actually Lionel Messi and Lady Gaga.)
So, using the Oxford comma is a matter of style and clarity, but not actually grammatically necessary. For this reason, in essay corrections, we may or may not add an Oxford comma when one is not present, as while it's not really grammatically necessary, we do want to encourage our students to use it to avoid potential confusion.
