A famous quote by author Oscar Wilde reads:

“I have spent most of the day putting in a comma and the rest of the day taking it out.”

I can sympathize. The comma is said to be one of the most misused punctuation marks, and I have spent many an hour contemplating commas in my writings. So where do you place those little worm-like squiggles?

I had been a creative writer for many years. I knew the basics, but it had been awhile since I attended an English class. I knew I had some gaps in my knowledge and wanted to brush up on my punctuation skills before I began to publish my books. Thankfully, I found Mignon Fogarty (A.K.A Grammar Girl), a young hip grammarian and writer of grammar guides, who explains all parts of speech and punctuation in a fun, clear, and concise manner.

My two favorite books by Mignon “Grammar Girl Presents the Ultimate Writing Guide for Students” and “Grammar Girl’s Quick and Dirty Tips” can be used by beginning students to learn the basics or by more advanced students as a refresher course. (Or those like me who were busy daydreaming in the back of class.)

So, back to the comma. Sometimes the misplacement of that little mark can drastically change the meaning of the sentence, such as the case with the Oxford comma (oh my, such a big name for such a little squiggle.) But do not be intimidated by its prestigious name. The Oxford comma is just another name for the serial comma or the final comma in a list of things.

For example: Please bring me a pencil, eraser, and ruler. The Oxford or serial comma comes after eraser.

Interestingly, use of the Oxford comma is still considered stylistic, meaning that some style guides demand its use while others don’t. AP Style—the style guide that newspaper reporters adhere to—does not require the use of the Oxford comma, thus adding to the confusion of “to comma or not to comma” (if that is the question).

Whether or not you use the Oxford comma is generally up to you or your teacher—some require it, some don’t. But whatever style is chosen it should be consistent throughout the document. However, omitting the Oxford comma can sometimes cause some strange misunderstandings as in the example below.

I love my parents, Lady Gaga and Humpty Dumpty.

Without the Oxford comma, the sentence above could be interpreted as stating that you love your parents, and your parents are Lady Gaga and Humpty Dumpty.

Here’s the same sentence with the Oxford (or serial) comma:

I love my parents, Lady Gaga, and Humpty Dumpty (three strange but separate entities.)

Therefore, I choose to use the Oxford comma! However, there are some sixteen other comma rules, some of which I am still a little shaky on. So please forgive me if you spot any wayward or missing commas in this post.

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