Should you use the Oxford comma? Here’s why the pros outweigh the cons.
The Shortest Story
Book authors should always use the Oxford comma.
The Less Short Story
The Oxford comma is the comma that comes before the last and in a list of three or more items.
Ex. I love all things sweet, like ice cream, cake, candy, and chocolate.
Some style guides opt to omit the Oxford comma, such as those that follow the Associated Press (AP) style. However, for general publishing in the United States, The Chicago Manual of Style is the style guide of preference, and it uses the Oxford comma.
You may have seen the meme created by diplomat Eric Edelman, which utilizes clever images to show why the Oxford comma does, in fact, make a difference:
With the Oxford comma, two rhinos and two presidents were invited. Without the Oxford comma, it’s possible that two rhinos named after two presidents were invited.
By always using the Oxford comma, you can avoid unnecessary ambiguity in your writing.
The Novel
Now we get into the nitty-gritty. First, let’s discuss the champion style guides for the two opposing viewpoints.
The use of the Oxford comma (also known as the serial comma) is firmly argued for by The Chicago Manual of Style, the style guide most commonly used in the United States for fiction and nonfiction books. Chicago’s recommendation is based on the stance taken by Fowler’s Dictionary of Modern English Usage, a guide to English published and updated by the Oxford University Press. MLA and APA, two other major style guides, also use the Oxford comma.
The opposing viewpoint comes from The Associated Press Stylebook, or AP style, which is used for newspapers and magazines. AP style opts for brevity, and their stance is that the Oxford comma is unnecessary—though not banned altogether.
It’s interesting to note that The Chicago Manual of Style and The Associated Press Stylebook admit that there are instances in which both the use of and omission of the Oxford comma create ambiguity.
The lack of an Oxford comma can cause confusion because a reader might be unsure whether the sentence ends in a list or in a descriptive phrase, such as in the following example:
Every night, Stacey walks with her dogs, Susie and Lacy.
Without the Oxford comma, there could be two possible meanings: either Stacey is walking with her dogs and two women named Susie and Lacy, or she is walking with two dogs named Susie and Lacy.
This confusion does not happen if the sentence uses an Oxford comma:
Every night, Stacey walks with her dogs, Susie, and Lacy.
The Oxford comma before and clearly shows that Stacey is walking with her dogs and with two women named Susie and Lacy.
From that example sentence, we can see how not using the Oxford comma can hinder understanding. But how can using the Oxford comma be hindersome? Wouldn’t it always make the sentence meaning more clear?
Unfortunately, no. Similar to how a plural noun followed by a descriptive phrase could be seen as a list without the Oxford comma, a list following a singular noun could be seen as a descriptive phrase with the Oxford comma. Not sure what that even means? Check this out:
Every night, Stacey walks with her dog, Susie, and Lacy.
The simple change from plural dogs to singular dog with the Oxford comma gives us a very similar problem. This list could be read as an unnamed dog and two women named Susie and Lacy or as a dog named Susie and a woman named Lacy.
So in some instances, there can be a problem of ambiguity whether we use the Oxford comma or not. Doesn’t that mean that it’s just up to the author whether or not to use the comma?
Yes . . . and no.
Yes, an author or publisher does have the freedom to choose their preferred style. Of course, if an author is published through a publisher, they must follow the publisher’s style guide. But if they are self-published, they just need to follow the same style for all their books. Consistency across published works is most important.
However, the topic of consistency brings up the main problem with AP style’s current stance—they claim that the Oxford comma is not always necessary, and yet, sometimes it is. In other words, AP omits the comma in simple lists but uses it in more complicated lists. Now, doesn’t that go against promoting consistency? Using the Oxford comma in some cases and not in others only causes confusion for readers—and for you! It would take valuable time and brain space to determine whether or not each list needed an Oxford comma. So why not just always use it?
The Chicago Manual of Style uses the Oxford comma in all cases, removing any question. And because Chicago is preferred for books in the United States, that style is what readers expect.
Ultimately, the answer for authors in choosing whether or not to use the Oxford comma is—do it! Why? Because authors have the responsibility to make sure readers understand their writing. The choice comes down to fulfilling reader expectation.
But consistently using the Oxford comma doesn’t mean that all sentences are guaranteed to be problem-free. When writing or revising lists, always ask if there is any way that an element in the list could be construed as a descriptive phrase for the previous item. If any possible misunderstanding exists, the sentence must be reworded.
Let’s look at our ambiguous Oxford comma again:
Every night, Stacey walks with her dog, Susie, and Lacy.
In actuality, this sentence is awkward. One possible fix is to reword to the following:
Every night, Stacey walks her dog with Susie and Lacy.
This change clarifies the other forms of this list as well:
Stacey walks her dog, Susie, with Lacy.
Stacey walks her dogs, Susie and Lacy.
Stacey walks her dogs with Susie and Lacy.
It’s likely that any instance of ambiguity regarding an Oxford comma can be solved with a simple reword. Let’s look at another example:
The CEO consulted her most trusted adviser, data analyst Chris Smith, and marketing expert Tyson Little.
In this case, let’s say we know the CEO consulted three people. The Oxford comma could be misinterpreted as setting off “data analyst Chris Smith” as a descriptive phrase for “her most trusted adviser,” (i.e., her most trusted advisor is data analyst Chris Smith) when Chris Smith is actually a second person in the series. Take out the Oxford comma, and it could be seen as a typo that should say “advisers,” plural (i.e., her most trusted advisers are two people: data analyst Chris Smith and marketing expert Tyson Little). Thus, instead of omitting the comma, rewording needs to happen. There are a few ways this could be done:
The CEO consulted her most trusted adviser, along with data analyst Chris Smith and marketing expert Tyson Little.
The CEO consulted data analyst Chris Smith, marketing expert Tyson Little, and the CEO’s most trusted adviser.
The CEO consulted three authorities: her most trusted adviser, data analyst Chris Smith, and marketing expert Tyson Little.
Using the Oxford comma must be done with care. The good news is that there is likely never going to be a sentence that can’t be reworded to avoid ambiguity. If you find one that stumps you, post it in the comments!
As copyeditors, we will make sure that your Oxford commas are consistent and lists are clear. Remember that the go-to rule is to use the Oxford comma—for good reason. If you prefer otherwise, specify that you use the AP style of no Oxford comma when you hire your copyeditor.
Contact us now if you are ready for an editor to look at your manuscript!
The Published Examples
“Their wartime rations included cabbage, turnips, and bread and butter.”
(The Chicago Manual of Style, 18th edition, 6.19)
Here, “bread and butter” is considered one list item even though it includes the word and. The Oxford comma is the comma after turnips.
“If you've always used the serial comma—‘red, white, and blue’—its absence can look slipshod and lazy. If you were taught the more streamlined AP style—‘red, white and blue’—the extra comma may seem fussy and pretentious.”
(Jan Freeman, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 3 Apr. 2011)
This has an example of a simple list with and without an Oxford comma, along with the opinions that often come with each style choice. Ultimately, the decision should come down to reader expectation and understanding.
“The main points to consider are whether the application works as advertised, whether it has the features consumers demand, and whether it delivers promised cost savings.”
(Drew Albee, “Explainer: How to Use Oxford Commas per AP Style,” PR News, 25 Oct. 2023, https://www.prnewsonline.com/explainer-how-to-use-oxford-commas-per-ap-style/)
This shows a more involved sentence that would require the Oxford comma in AP style. By opting to always use the Oxford comma, the question of whether it’s needed here would never take up brain power during your writing.
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