To Oxford comma or not to Oxford comma, is the question of today’s Grammarflex subject. What’s the deal with the Oxford comma, and why has its use been a subject of debate for English writer’s and grammarians for years?
My favorite colors are red, blue, and green.
For breakfast, I ate eggs, bacon, and toast.
She invited her brothers, sisters, and cousins.
My favorite colors are red, blue and green.
For breakfast, I ate eggs, bacon and toast.
She invited her brothers, sisters and cousins.
The Oxford comma, also known as the serial comma, Harvard comma or last comma, is the final comma in a sentence that lists two or more items. See the following sentences as an example:
Examples of sentences that use Oxford commas
| Word Form | Examples |
|---|---|
| Other | Please bring me a piece of bread, a plate, and a butter knife.
Can you please pick up some toilet paper, laundry detergent, and shampoo on your way home from work? Would you want to eat Chinese, Italian, or Mexican food for dinner tonight? I have to go to the mall, the dry cleaners, and the grocery store this afternoon. Sally ordered three smoothies: strawberry, peach, mango, and pineapple. |
See how the Oxford comma is the last comma in each sentence that lists three or more items. In the example sentences, the Oxford comma helps prevent ambiguity by showing the final items are separate. The Oxford comma comes after the conjunction and, and is the final comma in a sentence!
Humorous examples of the missing Oxford comma
| Word Form | Examples |
|---|---|
| Other | “Rachel Ray finds inspiration in cooking her family and her dog”
“Catherine holding her daughter and the Queen.” “We went carolling with our dogs, Grandma and Grandpa.” The canning, processing, preserving, freezing, drying, marketing, storing, packing for shipment or distribution of: (1) Agricultural produce; |
The serial comma belongs after the word shipment. Had the last comma been included in the sentence, they could have avoided a bill of $5-Mill.
Why is it called the Oxford comma?
The name for the Oxford comma makes complete sense: the Oxford comma gets its name from the Oxford University Press, also referred to by the acronym OUP. According to the OUP style guide, the use of the Oxford comma has been standard for over a century.
In review: Oxford comma
The Oxford comma is a kind of punctuation mark that is used to separate the final two items in a series or list with three or more items mentioned. The serial comma oftentimes is a question of style and not grammar.
That said, as we have seen, it helps to differentiate the last two items in a list for clarity. As a general rule of thumb, the best idea is to remain consistent in writing. Each guide has their own rules and suggestions when it comes to punctuation, grammar, syntax and the overall mechanics of writing; so follow one, and stick to it.
Other comma rules
1. Use a comma when joining two independent clauses with a coordinating conjunction (FANBOYS, learn all about this mnemonic).
2. Use a comma after introductory clauses or introductory phrases,
3. Between items in a series,
4. To frame an appositive or noun phrases.
5. To address various speakers in a sentence.
6. Use commas to separate nonrestrictive clauses.
7. Use commas with dates, addresses, titles, and numbers. Example: Mahatma Gandhi was born in the Indian state of Gujarat, on October 2, 1869.9
What’s the difference between they’re, their, and there?
Glossary
- Oxford comma definition
- Last comma
- Final comma
- Extra comma
- Series comma
Sources
- Chicago Manual of Style: Chicago Manual of Style
- “Oxford Comma Dispute Is Settled as Maine Drivers Get $5 Million,” New York Times, 2018.
- “Rachel Ray finds inspiration in cooking her family and her dog” Reddit.com
- “Catherine Holding her Daughter and the Queen” Thesauraus.com
- The Perils of Forgetting Your Holiday Oxford Comma
- American Psychological Association
- The Modern Language Association
Worksheet
What is another name for the Oxford comma?
Where is the Oxford comma placed in a list?
Which sentence correctly uses the Oxford comma?
The absence of an Oxford comma can lead to:
According to the blog post, is the use of the Oxford comma always mandatory?
The Oxford comma is also known as the comma.
In the sentence, “I went to the store, the bank, and the post office,” the comma after “bank” is a(n) comma.
Omitting the Oxford comma can create .
The sentence “I love my parents, my dog, and my cat” uses the correctly.
The use of the Oxford comma is mainly a matter of .
FAQs
What is an Oxford comma?
+
Why is the Oxford comma debated?
+
When is an Oxford comma essential?
+
Are Oxford commas always necessary?
+
What are some alternative names for it?
+
Yash, D. "What’s an Oxford Comma?." Grammarflex, Jun 25, 2025, https://www.grammarflex.com/whats-an-oxford-comma/.
