Ap guide serial comma

For instance, AP style would recommend using a serial comma in the following:. For lunch, I had a salad, a bagel , and a gin and tonic. However, since these rules are mostly associated with American English, some publications or organizations may adapt AP conventions for their own region.

And if your client has asked to use AP style with a dialect other than American English, you should ask whether they have preferences for how to use this type of punctuation e.

For more information on some of the punctuation differences between British and American English, moreover, you can always give our Becoming A Proofreader course a try! Your email address will not be published. Would you like a free trial? Both are grammatical punctuation topics you should swallow hard and ignore with all but other professional writers lest you beat your head against the wall while others tell you to get over it. However, one place commas still are valued, and correctly used, by many is in separating lists within a sentence.

Using commas in this sentence is common and welcome. Now, you may, or may not, have noticed that in my example sentence there is no comma before the and in that list. That final comma before the and in a list is called an Oxford comma, or serial comma. Oxford style requires the use of the comma to avoid confusion, hence the name Oxford comma. If you prefer a non-branded term, then serial comma ascribes the same comma usage to no one in particular. There is no logical reason to leave out that final comma since it cannot hurt the clarity of a sentence even if not specifically necessary.

That a punctuation exists that can only clarify writing and then its usage is forbidden is nonsensical. For example:. Real-time suggestions, wherever you write. Ann Edwards. The Oxford or serial comma is the final comma in a list of things. Oxford comma aficionado? Excuse me. T on June 26, at pm. Arthur on September 16, at am. Janette on April 10, at pm.

John Benson on April 10, at pm. Rosann on April 23, at pm. Then take it, John Benson. PhilRichmond on April 27, at pm. Kitty Price on April 10, at pm. Lakin on April 10, at am. Gail Govan on April 10, at am. Trish O'Connor on April 10, at am.

Victoria on April 23, at pm. Right on! Write on! Rilett on April 29, at am. Michelle on June 23, at am. I think I love you. Georgia Nagle on June 24, at am. Mona on June 24, at pm. Brent on June 25, at pm. Twirlmom on June 23, at pm. Yes to everything you posted!!! Sharon on June 26, at am. Yes, language evolves, but punctuation was establised for clarity long ago when sentences ran together with no punctuatuin can you imagine trying to understand an authors intent without these tiny helpful dots slashes curvy lines etc see what I mean As you might surmise, I am a fan of the Oxford comma.

Marjorie Power on July 2, at pm. Excellent description. Thank you! John Soares on April 10, at am. Julia Regan on May 7, at pm. Oxford comma loyalist here too! Love this post. Karen DeBonis on April 10, at am. Karen on April 25, at pm. Nancy H. Erdmann on June 20, at pm. Pat on June 25, at pm. Emily on September 16, at am. Al on October 3, at am. Anne on June 25, at pm. Joel on June 27, at pm. A new word? Steve on September 18, at am. A likelihood in Peonia? Havrilla on June 28, at am.

Jeffrey Myers on September 4, at am. Eddie Barnes on September 5, at pm. That is not even a little bit true. June Hankins on September 15, at pm. Jmwmson on September 15, at pm. I have over-used the semi-colon, because of this issue. Sherry Kennedy on September 18, at am. Maggi J. Dan on September 22, at pm. Karyn Walsh on June 30, at pm.

Roberta Goodin on September 4, at pm. Jen S on September 16, at pm. Bob on September 16, at pm. Kevin H on September 16, at pm. The author of this blog makes the same error, the crux of her argument, in her post. Tamara Gamble on September 19, at am. Chuck on September 5, at am. S on September 6, at pm. Sam on September 13, at am. Crispin Miller on September 13, at pm. Ben on September 26, at pm. I am not a grammar purist, but I agree with Crispin.

Laurie C. Terry on September 18, at pm. Bob on September 18, at pm. It seems like you are old school when it comes to grammar. I am, though, as you suggest, grammatically an antique. Danielle on September 28, at pm.

A lot of unnecessary verbiage in this reply. Was this to implement the Oxford comma? LOL Reply. Mark M. Jeannie Brewer on June 23, at pm. John on June 24, at pm. Love the comma. Wrote my dissertation in APA 5th edition, yuck! Vaughn Hathaway on June 26, at am. What does Harbrace-Court say? Clay on July 3, at am. Fred Swim on August 5, at pm. Great article! Fred Jacobowitz on August 5, at pm.

Nichole on September 16, at pm. Or, better yet, just pay overtime. TJ Jelin on August 21, at pm. The Oxford comma is not a solution. Stephen Pierce on August 30, at pm. Josiah Fisk on September 3, at pm. Chris on September 16, at am. Christenson on September 17, at pm. JC on January 7, at pm. This is just too much! Bob on January 7, at pm. Your paragraph reads well. Only one small grammar error hehehe.

Mikescki on January 8, at am. JC on January 8, at pm. David Steinhoff on September 5, at am. Tony dell on September 7, at pm. I like cake, ham and eggs. I like cake, ham, and eggs. David Steinhoff on September 7, at pm. Liz Walker on September 14, at pm. Kevin H on September 14, at pm. Ugh, autocorrect plus lack of an edit feauture is annoying! Andy on September 14, at pm. Kevin H on September 15, at am.

Jordy W on September 15, at pm. Kevin H on September 15, at pm. Kevin H on September 16, at am. Michael M. Kevin H on September 17, at pm.

How odd. Heather Hightower on September 13, at pm. JD on September 14, at pm.