How To Use The Oxford Comma

The Oxford comma has been debated a lot! Should it be used all the time? Can I just not use it at all? It doesn't do anything for my writing!  First let's understand what the Oxford comma is.

Take a look at this sentence:
"My dog is lazy, chubby, and old.

Did you notice the commas?
We use commas when we're listing more than two things. There is a comma after the word "lazy" and before the "and" to show the separation of the three items.

The Oxford comma, also known as the serial comma or the Harvard comma, is the comma you see before the "and" and "or". This comma makes it easier for people to separate the items you are listing and it also avoids ambiguity. 

In a sentence with a simple list like the example above, the meaning is clear and most people will immediately know what you mean. But there are some cases where it can get confusing. Take a look at this example:

Notice there is no comma before the "and." This creates the confusion that your parents are Bill Clinton and Lady Gaga....which would be pretty cool and strange.

If we add the Oxford comma before the "and," the sentence becomes clear that you mean you want to thank (1) your parents (2) Bill Clinton (3) Lady Gaga. It won't mean that your parents=Lady Gaga and Bill Clinton.

Here is another example of how the Oxford comma can help eliminate confusion.
"Every morning I  have a cup of coffee, sausage and eggs and toast."

This is very confusing. Does it mean you have:
(1) coffee (2) sausage (3) eggs and toast
(1)Coffee (2) sausage and eggs (3) toast

If we introduce the Oxford comma, the meaning becomes clear:
"Every morning I have a cup of coffee, sausage and eggs, and toast"
Every morning you have: (1) a cup of coffee (2) sausage and eggs (3) toast

This is a recent news story that shows how using the Oxford comma can be very important!

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The Oxford comma is commonly hated because sometimes it can make  a sentence more confusing. For example:
"Last night I met Trish, a baker, and Margaret "
Did you meet three people or is Trish a baker? In cases like this I would suggest rewording a sentence instead of listing so it's clearer. 

The Oxford comma may not work perfectly every single time, but in most cases it can reduce a lot of confusion (you don't want people thinking your parents are Bill Clinton and Lady Gaga unless they are your parents!). I tend to use it more than I don't just because it has certainly added more clarity to my sentences. The important thing is to understand the difference in meaning when you use it and when you don't. As with anything in the English language always reread your work and when you read something you don't understand sometimes common sense can help!