When there are two items in a list, don’t use a comma to separate the list items (unless it helps your reader). For example: Please buy bread and milk. Please buy custard, and banana muffins.
Do you need a comma after listing things?
As mentioned above, when you are listing three or more items, commas should separate each element of the list. However, the final comma—the one that comes before the and—is optional. This comma is called the serial comma or the Oxford comma. Whether or not you use the serial comma is a style choice.
Do you need a comma before and in a list of items?
You usually put a comma before and when it’s connecting two independent clauses. It’s almost always optional to put a comma before and in a list.
How do you list multiple items in a sentence?
Punctuation for Lists of Items Within a Sentence
Use commas after each item in a list of three or more items. Nurses monitor a patient’s vital signs including temperature, blood pressure, respiratory rate, and pulse. Use semi-colons after each item in a list if one or more items already includes a comma.
What example would not use a comma?
The comma is optional if both independent clauses are short and the meaning is clear. Example: John is tall so he ducks when entering rooms. Note: When the same subject is doing both actions (a compound verb but not a compound sentence), do not use a comma. Example: She skips and runs down the sidewalk.
What is the correct punctuation for a list?
Use minimal punctuation for all lists
semicolons (;) or commas (,) at the end of list items. ‘and’ or ‘or’ after list items.
How do you correctly punctuate a list?
The Right Way to Punctuate Lists
- a comma or no punctuation for lists that do not contain the main verb.
- a full stop after each sentence for lists that contain at least one item with multiple sentences.
- a semicolon otherwise.
How do you list three things in a sentence?
Whenever you have three or more items in a series, each item requires punctuation to separate it from the others. Depending on the complexity of the list, you can use either commas or semicolons.
How do you list a lot of things in a paragraph?
You should use a bulleted list if the order of the items doesn’t matter. Each element of the list should start on a new line. The bullet points should be indented one inch from the left page margin, and the text of each element should be indented a further 0.5 inches from the bullet point itself.
When to use a semicolon instead of a comma in a list?
Semicolons are not only used to link main clauses. They can also be used in complicated lists. Elements in a list are usually separated by commas. But if the elements themselves contain commas, semicolons are used to separate them.
How do you list things in formal writing?
Simply begin the sentence as you normally would and then format each item onto a separate line. End each item with a semicolon, closing the second-to-last item with a semicolon, followed by the word “and” or the word “or”. End the final item with the closing punctuation of the sentence.
What are two situations when a comma is not appropriate?
Some writers omit the comma if the clauses are both quite short: Example: I paint and he writes. Rule 3c. If the subject does not appear in front of the second verb, a comma is generally unnecessary.
What are the 8 rules for commas?
Commas (Eight Basic Uses)
- Use a comma to separate independent clauses.
- Use a comma after an introductory clause or phrase.
- Use a comma between all items in a series.
- Use commas to set off nonrestrictive clauses.
- Use a comma to set off appositives.
- Use a comma to indicate direct address.
- Use commas to set off direct quotations.
How do you punctuate a bullet list?
Use a period after bullet list that completes the opening stem sentence that introduces it. Don’t use a period after bullet lists that are not complete sentences or do not complete the opening stem sentence. Don’t use semicolons to end punctuation. Use either all full sentences in your bullet lists or all fragments.
Do you need a comma after 3 things?
Commas should be used when three or more items in a series are listed. A comma should be placed between each of the three items (it is also acceptable to leave out the comma between the second-to-last item and the last item in the series). Items in the series may consist of a word, clause, or phrase.
How do you list three things in a paper?
The bulleted list that separates three or more elements within a sentence is “capitalized and punctuated as if it were a complete sentence,” according to the style guide (American Psychological Association, 2010, p. 64).
Do you put a comma before and in a list of three?
Just remember that you should only put a comma before “and” when joining two independent clauses or in a list of three or more things.
How do you list multiple things in an essay?
If the list contains a series of one-word items, separate items with commas. If the list requires more separation between items, use semicolons to separate individual items of more than three words and items that contain commas.
How do you write a list in a paragraph examples?
Run-In Lists: These are discoursed within the paragraphs of your writing and are usually separated with semicolons and initiated with a colon. Here’s an example: My dog has three hobbies: (1) chewing his squeaky toy; (2) begging for treats; and (3) running around in circles at the dog park.
How do you start a list?
Most importantly, a list must be introduced by a lead-in sentence (or clause) that contains both a subject and a verb. Technical writers often use the expression “the following” somewhere in the lead-in sentence to clearly indicate that a list of items will follow.
How do you use a semicolon in a list examples?
Semicolons separate items in a complex list. For example, The Council is comprised of ten members: three from Sydney, Australia; four from Auckland, New Zealand; two from Suva, Fiji; and one from Honiara, Solomon Islands. Semicolons join two closely related independent clauses.