Why dont British people use the Oxford comma?

Despite being named after a British University, the Oxford comma (the comma used before “and” in lists (e.g., I like wookies, ewoks, and droids)) is not considered standard in UK English because only one style guide (Oxford) recommends it.

Do Americans use more commas?

The British tend to use more commas than Americans do, especially with introductory words and phrases. In the UK, periods and commas are placed after quotation marks. In the US, periods and commas have to be placed inside.

What is one difference between American and British use of punctuation?

Period and comma: In British English, the period and comma are placed outside quotation marks. However, if the punctuation mark is a part of the quote itself, then the quotation mark is placed after the period or comma. In American English, the period and comma are always placed inside quotation marks.

Why are commas so misused in the English language?

The comma is one of the most abused and misused punctuation marks in the English language. The comma gives us the dreaded run-on sentence, the confusion of verb separation and odd sentence fragments, and—when missing altogether—some of the most hilarious misunderstandings in the grammar world.

Does British English use serial comma?

In American English, the serial comma is often used in lists as standard. In British English, a serial comma is only required when a list would be unclear without one, such as in the example above.

Does American English use Oxford comma?

The Serial/Oxford Comma The serial comma (also known as the “Oxford comma” in the UK) is a comma placed before the last item in a list of three or more things. Most American English style guies recommend using this comma as standard: I believe in good spelling, grammar, and punctuation.

Do we use comma before and in British English?

The word and is a conjunction, and when a conjunction joins two independent clauses, you should use a comma with it. The proper place for the comma is before the conjunction. Therefore, we need a comma before and. Don’t use a comma before and when one of the clauses it’s connecting is a dependent clause.

What grammatical mistake will you commit if you forget to put comma before a conjunction?

A comma splice occurs when you place a comma between two independent clauses without a conjunction between them. A Grammarian would consider this an inappropriate use of the comma.

Why Oxford commas are bad?

Relying on the Oxford comma for list-making may be clarifying, but it often interferes with good composition. Assuming the example phrase is humorous, the humor relies on the incongruity between thanking one’s parents and thanking a pair of fictitious superheroes.

Do the British use the extra comma in lists?

But as a general rule, the British do not use this extra comma in lists, yet many Americans do. There is good reason for the Americans clinging onto the serial comma.

What is the difference between American and British style commas?

In American English, we use this comma as standard: I believe in good spelling, grammar, and punctuation. Many British style guides, however, recommend omitting the final comma: I believe in good spelling, grammar and punctuation. The exception is that both American and British English use a serial comma to ensure clarity.

When should you use the serial comma in British English?

So although when we write British English we generally don’t use the serial comma, we should use it if the sentence is open to wrongful interpretation. Tagged as: british english vs american english, comma after and, extra comma, the serial comma.

Do you put commas in quotes in British English?

British English: Smith (2001, p. 34) writes that witnesses ‘heard someone shout “Duck!” loudly’ before the explosion. In addition, American punctuation rules require all commas and periods to be given within quote marks. British English, meanwhile, only places punctuation within quote marks if it is part of the original text: