I need to send this to my editors! They rant and rave about serial commas. "They just aren't proper," I hear. I rather like them.
March 24, 2014, 02:25
BobHale
Don't use it myself but don't really care one way or another. How can anybody waste the time and effort to care about this stuff?
"No man but a blockhead ever wrote except for money." Samuel Johnson.
March 24, 2014, 05:09
zmježd
I use them. Never really gave much thought to why, though it's probably just what I was exposed to. I know the arguments for and against.
[Added another clause.]This message has been edited. Last edited by: zmježd,
—Ceci n'est pas un seing.
March 24, 2014, 07:37
arnie
I tend to use them in everyday writing, but try to avoid them at work as our house style guide tells us not to use them unless the meaning would be unclear otherwise.
quote:
Only use a comma before ‘and’ in a list if the meaning would be unclear without it. For example: ‘The learners studied catering, key skills, and information and communication technology’ (where ‘information and communication technology’ is one item in the list).
Build a man a fire and he's warm for a day. Set a man on fire and he's warm for the rest of his life.
March 24, 2014, 10:12
<Proofreader>
I think it ridiculous to impose a rule (always use, or never use) when the rule is unworkable in some circumstances.
March 25, 2014, 09:59
Kalleh
quote:
I tend to use them in everyday writing, but try to avoid them at work as our house style guide tells us not to use them unless the meaning would be unclear otherwise.
Me, too, arnie, for the same reason. Sometimes I forget, though, and love it when I get away with it. Editors aren't perfect, after all.
Editors aren't perfect, after all.