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VCE Stuff => VCE Subjects + Help => VCE English Studies => Topic started by: kjistsehrtot on June 19, 2019, 08:36:53 pm

Title: what the heck is an oxford comma?
Post by: kjistsehrtot on June 19, 2019, 08:36:53 pm
can someone explain what an oxford comma is to me i really do not understand that concept
Title: Re: what the heck is an oxford comma?
Post by: hums_student on June 19, 2019, 08:53:49 pm
can someone explain what an oxford comma is to me i really do not understand that concept

It's a comma that's commonly put before 'and' when you're listing something.

For example:
"I have been to Australia, France, and the US" (with oxford comma)
"I have been to Australia, France and the US" (without oxford comma)

Both would be considered grammatically correct.
Title: Re: what the heck is an oxford comma?
Post by: kjistsehrtot on June 19, 2019, 09:02:04 pm
It's a comma that's commonly put before 'and' when you're listing something.

For example:
"I have been to Australia, France, and the US" (with oxford comma)
"I have been to Australia, France and the US" (without oxford comma)

Both would be considered grammatically correct.

ok so like it took me three minutes to understand this because i had to replace some words with others (because for whatever reason your example would not comprehend in my stupid brain) but is it sort of like:

"Let's eat Grandma!" VS "Let's eat, Grandma!"
Title: Re: what the heck is an oxford comma?
Post by: brenden on June 19, 2019, 09:43:35 pm
ok so like it took me three minutes to understand this because i had to replace some words with others (because for whatever reason your example would not comprehend in my stupid brain) but is it sort of like:

"Let's eat Grandma!" VS "Let's eat, Grandma!"
Not quite.

Basically, if you list 3+ things, you put commas in between each of them, right? You don't say, I went to the store and bought paint tomato sauce and scissors. You say, I went to the store and bought paint, tomato sauce, and scissors.

The oxford comma is the final comma in that sentence, before "and scissors". Oxford comma = comma that comes before the final item of a list, before the 'and'.
Title: Re: what the heck is an oxford comma?
Post by: kjistsehrtot on June 20, 2019, 09:07:02 am
Not quite.

Basically, if you list 3+ things, you put commas in between each of them, right? You don't say, I went to the store and bought paint tomato sauce and scissors. You say, I went to the store and bought paint, tomato sauce, and scissors.

The oxford comma is the final comma in that sentence, before "and scissors". Oxford comma = comma that comes before the final item of a list, before the 'and'.

ok i think i kinda get it. is it used to just avoid confusion in listing?? Like for example you wouldn't say "I love my parents, Keanu Reeves and Kurtis Connor" but you'd say "I love my parents, Keanu Reeves, and Kurtis Connor"?
Title: Re: what the heck is an oxford comma?
Post by: brenden on June 20, 2019, 01:30:18 pm
ok i think i kinda get it. is it used to just avoid confusion in listing?? Like for example you wouldn't say "I love my parents, Keanu Reeves and Kurtis Connor" but you'd say "I love my parents, Keanu Reeves, and Kurtis Connor"?
Yes, exactly! It’s used to make listing clear. Nice work.
Title: Re: what the heck is an oxford comma?
Post by: kjistsehrtot on June 20, 2019, 02:31:02 pm
Yes, exactly! It’s used to make listing clear. Nice work.

oh my gOD YES
Title: Re: what the heck is an oxford comma?
Post by: Matthew_Whelan on June 20, 2019, 04:58:50 pm
Title: Re: what the heck is an oxford comma?
Post by: kjistsehrtot on June 20, 2019, 07:39:36 pm


ahahahahaha, i had asked a teacher today for clarification and she gave me this exact example