Serial Comma

Read the following sentences. Can you tell how many people there are?

1. They went to New York with Betty, a maid and a cook.
2. They went to New York with Betty, a maid, and a cook.
   

Did you guess that No. 1 is only one person and that No. 2 is three people?

1. They went to New York with Betty, a maid and cook. (Betty = maid + cook = 1 person with two jobs)
2. They went to New York with Betty, a maid, and a cook. (Betty + maid + cook = 3 persons)
   

These are just some simple examples, but you can see if you use the third comma, then the meaning is much clearer. If you use only two commas, then the meaning might not be clear to some readers.
Newspapers often skip the third commas to save space. They are using the Associated Press Stylebook (P. 274). "Use commas to separate elements in a series, but do not put a comma before the conjunction in a simple series: The flag is red, white and blue."

The other references for non-journalists clearly suggest using the third comma.

My suggestion is that you should life as easy and simple as possible. If you always use a comma for a series of three or more terms with a single conjunction, you will be safe!

• Red, white, and blue
• Gold, silver, or copper
• He opened the letter, read it, and made a note of its contents.

Here are some references that I have used:

I have a PDF copy of this manual. Please ask me for a copy in class next time if you are interested. Otherwise, you can go visit the Web site.

• Style Manual, 29th edition, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, 2003

These are some of the manuals I use every day:

• Modern American Usage: A Guide, NY: Hill and Wang, 1998
• A Manual for Writers, 5^th Edition, Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1987
• Chicago Manual of Style, 14^th Edition, Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1993
• Elements of Style, 2^nd Edition, New York: Macmillan, 1972

These are some references that have been suggested by others:

• Gregg Reference Manual, 8^th Edition, New York: Glencoe, 1993
• Scientific Style and Format, 6^th Edition, NY: Cambridge University Press, 1994
  
• The Texas Law Review Manual on Usage and Style
• The Lawyer's Book of Rules for Effective Legal Writing

Bibliography:

1. Get It Write. GIW Online. http://www.getitwriteonline.com/index.htm, accessed July 28, 2005.
2. The Professional Training Company. Factotum Ink, Limited. http://www.swcp.com/info/home.htm, accessed July 28, 2005.
3. Capital Community College. http://www.ccc.commnet.edu/index.htm, accessed July 28, 2005.
4. Modern American Usage: A Guide, NY: Hill and Wang, 1998
5. A Manual for Writers, 5th Edition, Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1987
6. Chicago Manual of Style, 14th Edition, Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1993
7. Elements of Style, 2nd Edition, New York: Macmillan, 1972