FabSwingers.com forum: Oxford Commas

By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago

Feel free to discuss the use, or not use, of Oxford commas here. I feel bad for monopolizing the other thread.

I'm off to bed, though, so I'm staying out of it

-Courtney

Reply privately

Reply in forum

Reply +quote

By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Who gives a fuck about an Oxford comma

Reply privately

Reply in forum

Reply +quote

By *irtyGirlWoman
over a year ago

Edinburgh

I know what it is but I don't remember being taught it in school.

Reply privately

Reply in forum

Reply +quote

By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Leave them in Oxford

Reply privately

Reply in forum

Reply +quote

By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

I wasn't being rude, just in case.

http://youtu.be/P_i1xk07o4g

Reply privately

Reply in forum

Reply +quote

By *uxom redCouple
over a year ago

Shrewsbury

Oxford comma used before and or after a word.. What else can I say.

Reply privately

Reply in forum

Reply +quote

By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

I'm all about the Oxford comma but my boss is pedant about them so I've slowly had it beaten out of me.

Reply privately

Reply in forum

Reply +quote

By *iamondsmiles.Woman
over a year ago

little house on the praire

We where taught never to use a comma with and

Reply privately

Reply in forum

Reply +quote

By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

I'm not bothered about the use of the Oxford Comma. I am interested how Courtney spells Aluminium though...

Reply privately

Reply in forum

Reply +quote

By *r TriomanMan
over a year ago

Chippenham Malmesbury area

I don't bother with them normally but may use them for clarity if I think it's needed.

Reply privately

Reply in forum

Reply +quote

By *irtyGirlWoman
over a year ago

Edinburgh

"We where taught never to use a comma with and

That's what I always thought. And you shouldn't start a sentence with and!

Reply privately

Reply in forum

Reply +quote

By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

I'm having a dejavu moment.

I think it depends on how you were taught / when you were at school as to whether you use them or not.

I was taught to rephrase my sentences where possible.

Reply privately

Reply in forum

Reply +quote

By *uthTVDerbysTV/TS
over a year ago

Derby

Well in my opinion there are certain places where for the sake of clarity and good form the presence of a comma is obligatory, but on the other hand a too liberal use of this form of punctuation tends to slow up the pace of the reading. But what do I know?

Reply privately

Reply in forum

Reply +quote

By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"I'm not bothered about the use of the Oxford Comma. I am interested how Courtney spells Aluminium though...

And pronounces nuclear

Reply privately

Reply in forum

Reply +quote

By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"We where taught never to use a comma with and

We where??

We "were"

Reply privately

Reply in forum

Reply +quote

By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"I'm not bothered about the use of the Oxford Comma. I am interested how Courtney spells Aluminium though...

And pronounces nuclear

Bloody yanks comin' over 'ere and ruinin' our bloody language!!!

Reply privately

Reply in forum

Reply +quote

By *igeiaWoman
over a year ago

Bristol

If I need to use one to clarify my meaning within a sentence then I have written a sloppy sentence that should be reworded. Other people using them doesn't bug me; I just happened to have an English teacher I adored who hated them and a bit of me still feels like a naughty child if I use one.

Reply privately

Reply in forum

Reply +quote

By *iamondsmiles.Woman
over a year ago

little house on the praire

"We where taught never to use a comma with and

We where??

We "were"

"
i see this is your new game today picking everyone up on their spelling, if your going to keep picking me up on mine prepare yourself to be busy

Reply privately

Reply in forum

Reply +quote

By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"I know what it is but I don't remember being taught it in school.

I learnt about them off a facebook meme moaning about grammar.

Reply privately

Reply in forum

Reply +quote

By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"We where taught never to use a comma with and

We where??

We "were"

i see this is your new game today picking everyone up on their spelling, if your going to keep picking me up on mine prepare yourself to be busy

Reply privately

Reply in forum

Reply +quote

By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

I like to just write lots then bung in a set of punctuation marks at the end so people can enjoy a little puzzle by inserting the said bits of ink where they feel it may be required .... ,,,, !!!

Reply privately

Reply in forum

Reply +quote

By *iamondsmiles.Woman
over a year ago

little house on the praire

"I like to just write lots then bung in a set of punctuation marks at the end so people can enjoy a little puzzle by inserting the said bits of ink where they feel it may be required .... ,,,, !!!

"
I rarely put a full stop at the end of things can't see the point you can tell I've stopped

Reply privately

Reply in forum

Reply +quote

By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"I like to just write lots then bung in a set of punctuation marks at the end so people can enjoy a little puzzle by inserting the said bits of ink where they feel it may be required .... ,,,, !!!

I rarely put a full stop at the end of things can't see the point you can tell I've stopped"

Sorry for the silence, I was waiting to see if you had finished

Reply privately

Reply in forum

Reply +quote

By *r TriomanMan
over a year ago

Chippenham Malmesbury area

"We where taught never to use a comma with and

That's what I always thought. And you shouldn't start a sentence with and!

You can start a sentence with and. And, another thing, you can you can use a comma with and.

Reply privately

Reply in forum

Reply +quote

By *iamondjoeMan
over a year ago

Glastonbury

I'm reasonably literate and have no idea what this is about

Reply privately

Reply in forum

Reply +quote

By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Well i learnt what an Oxford Comma is today.

Reply privately

Reply in forum

Reply +quote

By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"Well i learnt what an Oxford Comma is today.

Remember this date for always...

Reply privately

Reply in forum

Reply +quote

By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago

"Well i learnt what an Oxford Comma is today.

Remember this date for always...

Reply privately

Reply in forum

Reply +quote

By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"We where taught never to use a comma with and

Same here. It is not correct grammar to use a comma before the word "and". It doesn't matter what you call it, it is still wrong.

Reply privately

Reply in forum

Reply +quote

By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"We where taught never to use a comma with and

Same here. It is not correct grammar to use a comma before the word "and". It doesn't matter what you call it, it is still wrong."

We were taught to always use a comma before and in any list. depends on what year you went to school I think.

Reply privately

Reply in forum

Reply +quote

By *unCoupleTXCouple
over a year ago

Longview

Weeeellll, I'm an English teacher in the ol USA, and I have an English degree... I was taught and have always used the Oxford comma. I'm afraid I'm a bit of a grammar Nazi but only in my head. And I have decided to quit giving a rat's ass if my 5th graders use the correct your/you're or to/too/two because the majority of adults misuse them too. As for the whole comma thing, to each his or her own, I suppose. Nothing to lose/loose your head over.

Reply privately

Reply in forum

Reply +quote

By *unCoupleTXCouple
over a year ago

Longview

"Weeeellll, I'm an English teacher in the ol USA, and I have an English degree... I was taught and have always used the Oxford comma. I'm afraid I'm a bit of a grammar Nazi but only in my head. And I have decided to quit giving a rat's ass if my 5th graders use the correct your/you're or to/too/two because the majority of adults misuse them too. As for the whole comma thing, to each his or her own, I suppose. Nothing to lose/loose your head over.

I take that back... It will always secretly drive me crazy if my students don't know their homophones. Ha.

Reply privately

Reply in forum

Reply +quote

By *ophieslutTV/TS
over a year ago

Central

I use this standard most often but tend to get a little lazy, when tapping about on a phone - like now.

Set some clarity, pace and tone to your written communication.

Reply privately

Reply in forum

Reply +quote

By *ohnjones3210Man
over a year ago

Chester

"I'm not bothered about the use of the Oxford Comma. I am interested how Courtney spells Aluminium though...

Yes, I'm sure I witnessed Courtney write a message saying 'mom' earlier.

What is a 'mom'?

Lol x

Reply privately

Reply in forum

Reply +quote

By *ohnaronMan
over a year ago

london

Don't think I would care to take port with a chap who did not use the Oxford comma.

Reply privately

Reply in forum

Reply +quote

By *an_WoodMan
over a year ago

Stafford

Oxford comma was a great car

Reply privately

Reply in forum

Reply +quote

By *unkymonkyMan
over a year ago

Cheltenham

I'm reading a lot about the comma in this thread.

Please don't forget the semi colon. Much underused in my estimation

Reply privately

Reply in forum

Reply +quote

By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

We only had comma's when I was at school. And maybe verbs.

What is an Oxford comma?

Reply privately

Reply in forum

Reply +quote

By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

I dont think i use a comma before and. My typing etc is shit on here but i turn it off when im not in work.

At work everything i create is quality assured for spelling and grammar by 4 people before we use it so will have to check! Its habbit now at work i dont have to think. Sometimes here though ive used the wrong where or were lol. Anyone who is annoyed by this... chill ya beans and have a wank

Reply privately

Reply in forum

Reply +quote

By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Next week, two threads dedicated to the Cambridge colon...

Reply privately

Reply in forum

Reply +quote

By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago

"Next week, two threads dedicated to the Cambridge colon..."

If that's what you'd like, Professor.

Reply privately

Reply in forum

Reply +quote

By *enard ArgenteMan
over a year ago

London and France

The rules of punctuation can always be bent, to give style or shades of meaning;

However, complete lack of punctuation means that text becomes unreadable.

And a tiny bit of punctuation can completely change meaning;

Eg;

"A woman without her man, is nothing"

" A woman; without her, man is nothing "

And if you want to see how leaving out one full stop in a message, allowed its meaning to be interpreted in two ways; and cause a major international incident; Google " The Jameson Raid Telegram".

Reply privately

Reply in forum

Reply +quote

By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Let's eat grandma.

Let's eat, grandma.

Correct punctuation saves lives.

Reply privately

Reply in forum

Reply +quote

By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"Let's eat grandma.

Let's eat, grandma.

Correct punctuation saves lives."

Reply privately

Reply in forum

Reply +quote

By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

I get confused whether you should put a comma after or before the word BUT in a sentence?? Some people do, some people don't.

Reply privately

Reply in forum

Reply +quote

By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago

"I get confused whether you should put a comma after or before the word BUT in a sentence?? Some people do, some people don't. "

It goes before the word "but." You only do it in specific situations, though - When "but" is starting an independent clause, for example.

-Courtney

Reply privately

Reply in forum

Reply +quote

By *enard ArgenteMan
over a year ago

London and France

Before usually, because " but" introduces a subordinate, or qualifying clause:

" I was going out, but I didn't .."

It still makes sense if you leave it out;

" I was going out but I didn't ".

In the second case, it makes the sentence look rushed, the first case gives the sentence balance and rhythm.

It makes no sense, and is confusing if you write;

" I was going out but, I didn't "

But the comma puts the pause in, and makes it more readable.

Reply privately

Reply in forum

Reply +quote

By *enard ArgenteMan
over a year ago

London and France

"I dont think i use a comma before and. My typing etc is shit on here but i turn it off when im not in work.

"Where, were, we're" is really confusing if used wrongly; I have seen loads of posts on here which are almost incomprehensible because of it; and it takes ages to decipher what is meant.

For instance:

"Were were we were "

" we're where we were"?

Or is it

...... Etc etc.

Reply privately

Reply in forum

Reply +quote

By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"I'm reading a lot about the comma in this thread.

Please don't forget the semi colon. Much underused in my estimation "

I agree.

Thinking appeal video. Some famous actor doing voice over, Dame Judy? Stephen Fry? semi colon abandoned, grubby alleyway, rain, maybe some snow?

n.b. no semi colons were used in the making of this paragraph, but, they should have been!

Reply privately

Reply in forum

Reply +quote

By *unCoupleTXCouple
over a year ago

Longview

"I get confused whether you should put a comma after or before the word BUT in a sentence?? Some people do, some people don't.

It goes before the word "but." You only do it in specific situations, though - When "but" is starting an independent clause, for example.

-Courtney "

A+, Courtney! When you are joining two complete sentences (which make a compound sentence), you add a comma before the conjunction. Yes, I'm a dorky school marm.

Reply privately

Reply in forum

Reply +quote

By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

I have an awful habit of overusing commas...

The way to tell the difference between mine and S's posts is to look for proper grammar, punctuation and better vocabulary! (Hint: S is the one who is better than me

) He is a more literary type, whereas I will never write words when a diagram would work.

Just to illustrate my point, I had to look up what an Oxford Comma is...

Reply privately

Reply in forum

Reply +quote

By *artytwoCouple
over a year ago

Wolverhampton

A bit like putting the milk in first in tea.

Reply privately

Reply in forum

Reply +quote

Post new Message to Thread