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The Oxford Comma: The Lagbaja of punctuation

May 22, 2020June 1, 2022

The Oxford comma is one I have failed all my attempts to write 100words on for the past three days. How could a few words be so onerous?

For want of a topic, today, we die here!

There’s this punctuation called the “Oxford comma”, used before the last item in a list. You see this comma is as useless as the “P” in “Psychology, yet helps to avoid ambiguity. As a matter of grammar; I advise you to use it.

For example:
“We invited the rams, Sule, and Akpos.”
“We invited the rams, Sule and Akpos.”

In the first example, it’s clear that we’re talking about two people called Sule and Akpos as well as more than one ram. In the second example; however, the lack of the comma makes it sound as though the rams’ names are Sule and Akpos.

Though redundant, it clears the sentence.

Don’t be a Lagbaja, I know you don’t want to sound rude!

For more on grammar, see https://www.english-grammar-revolution.com/punctuation-rules.html

For previous post see http://oluwatoyosiabikoye.com/index.php/2020/05/10/dear-diary-this-is-the-story-of-ediye/

3 thoughts on “The Oxford Comma: The Lagbaja of punctuation”

  1. Lu says:
    May 23, 2020 at 6:49 pm

    The proper use of this comma can safe your entire future life. E.gL You are asked to write what inspires you in a job application, then you see…
    1. I find inspiration in eating my family and my dog
    2. I find inspiration in eating, my family, and my dog

    Reply
  2. EGUAOJE PATRICK says:
    May 25, 2020 at 6:58 am

    I have been a lagbaja of punctuation since the time immemorial lol. I have changed anyways thanks to your writings .

    Super toyosi .

    Reply
  3. Pingback: Errors in the use of semicolons - Oluwatoyosi Abikoye

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