re: Grammar Q: Use of commas in lists

Taught A, use B.

A is the only correct option

B is incorrect

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Most who went to a catholic or college preparatory school were taught to use B, without the final comma.

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This is not true everywhere. My husband and I attended Catholic/college prep schools, and our children have been in Catholic schools since the start. The Oxford comma is preferred for clarity of understanding.

Some lists will have the same meaning with or without it, but I use the Oxford in all cases just to be sure. It actually annoys me when people don't.

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The Oxford comma is preferred for clarity of understanding.

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As far as I’m concerned it’s not just preferred for clarity, if it’s needed for clarity then it is the only way. It would be incorrect to leave it out and be unclear.

The perfect example was above:
A.) Bob, Jim, and Joe’s Mom went to the store
B.) Bob, Jim and Joe’s Mom went to the store

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Journalists typically are taught to write using the AP style which uses the extra comma.

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Incorrect. The AP style book is against the Oxford comma.

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B.) Bob, Jim and Joe’s Mom went to the store

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So Jim and Joe have a mom named Bob?

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So Jim and Joe have a mom named Bob?

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No, you would need another comma for this to be true.

Bob, Jim and Joe's mom, went to the store.

I suppose.

The way it was written, Bob is being told that Jim and joes mom went to the store.


The point is the Oxford comma fixes all those clarification issues.

A. Because I wasn't educated by heathens.

People that don’t use Oxford commas are fricking savages.