Silly poll about commas

[LauraGB]

but in the words of my 8-year-old son, "it is redundant to include the comma."

 

 

 

:iagree: with your 8 year old :D.

 

Sometimes it is necessary for clarity, but not nearly as often as it is used. And that's what I teach.

[JoJosMom]

His ex-wives were Kris Kristofferson and Robert Duvall?! :lol:

 

 

BWAAHAAHAA!!!

 

And that is why I shall ever use the serial comma...:lol::lol::lol:

[Spock]

Ok. So I was doing english with my dd. It says to put a comma before the word 'and' in a series. Example: The cats, dogs, and birds ate.

 

I learned NOT to put a comma before the word ''and' in a series when I was in school. Example The cats, dogs and birds ate. What does your english teach? Please reply with what you learned in school (Not in the poll, I would like the poll strictly what your curriculum teaches!)

 

Has this changes since I was in school? Thanks

 

My school textbooks in 5th grade taught us that both ways were correct (late 1970's).

 

The newer books all say to put in the comma before the "and", while older books I have looked at say not to. Apparently I was in school while the usage was in the process of change, and now the change has fully taken effect.

[JumpedIntoTheDeepEndFirst]

The Oxford comma. I think there is even a fan club on facebook. I vote yes!

[babysparkler]

Dd just was learning this the other day... Growing with Grammar 3 teaches that you should have one fewer comma than there are items in the list... so since there are three animals in that sentence, two commas are needed.

 

The cats, dogs, and birds ate.

[Parrothead]

Comma in for us.

[NanceXToo]

I put "other" because I just looked at the "punctuation" section in the back of my daughter's 5th grade Oak Meadow syllabus to see if it specifically addressed that, and it mentions using commas to separate words in a series but doesn't specifically address whether there should be one right before that final "and."

 

It might have in earlier grades but this is the only grade level I currently have available for this syllabus. So I can't say.

 

With that said, I learned that I should NOT put a comma before that "and," as you did, and so that's what I tell my daughter when it comes up in her writing.

[Ellyndria]

I was taught to put the comma in. I don't have curriculum picked out yet, as that is still a few years away, but I know I will teach him to put the comma in anyway. :)

[dionne3514]

Yes, I am quite the adherent of the Oxford comma AKA Harvard comma, or the serial comma.

 

Without it how would my husband know what my grocery list means: I need some green beans, peas, and carrots. If I wasn't so faithful to the Oxford comma he could easily being home only 2 cans of food--one of green beans and another of mixed peas and carrots :) Krista

[ChrisB]

I was taught NOT to include the last comma. It looks funny to me the other way. :tongue_smilie:

 

His ex-wives were Kris Kristofferson and Robert Duvall?! :lol:

Although, here you definitely have a point!:smilielol5:

 

Originally Posted by Suzanne

but in the words of my 8-year-old son, "it is redundant to include the comma."

It looks redundant to me too.

[johnandtinagilbert]

Like the Oxford Comma on Facebook

[Veritaserum]

Like the Oxford Comma on Facebook

 

:lol: I use (and teach) the Oxford comma, too. :)

[Stacy in NJ]

American grammar omits the last comma. English grammar includes it.

[mazakaal]

In Britain it is considered incorrect to put the comma before the and, so I explain this to the kids. But I also explain that in America it can be written either way.

[Krista in LA]

I was taught that it was optional, but I teach my kids to use it since that's what it says in Rod and Staff.