The Oxford comma
![The Oxford Comma illustration: in the acknowledgements at the beginning of a book, the oxford comma, used after the penultimate item in a list, clears up any confusion as to whether God is a parent of the author.](https://images.prismic.io/sketchplanations/0a05aa65-dc6c-4232-83c7-369a9e585c8f_170990724031.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&w=3840&q=50)
The Oxford comma is the comma after the penultimate item in a list. It’s normally a matter of style — you can happily choose to leave it out — though in some cases it can clarify what would otherwise be an ambiguous meaning, as in this well-cited book dedication “To my parents, Ayn Rand and God.” Or, more pertinently, in a recent legal case where ambiguity hinging on the lack of an Oxford comma is costing a dairy firm a $5m overtime payment to its drivers.
HT: Jon Hoare
Published
You’re welcome to use and share this image and text for non-commercial purposes with attribution. Go wild!
See licence