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.
Should I use the Oxford comma in British English?
British and American English both use the Oxford comma like this, but they differ on when it is used: Typically, in British English, we only use an Oxford comma when a list would be unclear without one, such as in the example sentence above. In American English, it is often standard to use an Oxford comma in lists.
Why is the Oxford comma not used in UK?
Most British style guides do not mandate its use. The Economist Style Guide notes that most British writers use it only where necessary to avoid ambiguity. A few British style guides mandate it, most notably The Oxford Style Manual (hence the name, “Oxford comma”).
Are serial commas used in British English?
Notwithstanding the reference to Oxford, the serial comma is more frequently used in AmE than in BrE, where it is generally used only when necessary to prevent confusion.
Where does the comma go in British English?
When making a list, commas are the most common way to separate one list item from the next. The final two items in the list are usually separated by “and” or “or”, which should be preceeded by a comma.
What is the difference between American and British 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.
Is British English considered proper English?
British English is ‘correct’ where it is spoken, and American or Australian English is correct in those areas of the world. While it might not seem clean and neat to have so many ‘correct’ versions of a language, that’s just the way it is. Of course, all of these versions of English are perfectly interchangeable.
What do the British call a comma?
Serial/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.
What is the alternative to the Oxford comma?
The Oxford Comma is Often a Crutch for Lazy Writing
The alternative is simply to write unambiguous lists. If the Oxford comma is necessary to make a list clear, either rewrite the list or break out the elements into their own independent clauses or sentences.
Why is the Oxford comma controversial?
As far as I can tell, the main argument against using the Oxford comma is that it’s somehow easier to not insert a comma at the end of a list of three or more items.
Should there be a comma before and in UK English?
In English, you must put a comma before ‘and’ when it connects two independent clauses. A clause is independent when it could stand on its own as a sentence–it has its own subject and verb. Example: Comma before ‘and’ connecting two independent clauses Jagmeet walks to school, and Rebecca takes the bus.
Is there a comma before but in British?
Comma Before But
If you are joining two independent clauses, use a comma before the word but. Where the but is not joining two independent clauses, do not use a comma.
Does a comma go before or after However UK?
When used as a connecting adverb in the middle of a sentence, however must be followed by a comma. Also, you should put a semicolon at the end of the previous clause. This comes right before the word however in most sentences. When however is not the first word in a sentence, it needs a comma before and after it.
Which accent is better UK or US?
British accent is royal , formal , traditional and orthodox and on the contrary American accent is pretty casual , informal and nouveau . If you want to learn updated accent , it should be better for you to go with America accent instead of British accent .
Is it OK to mix American and British spelling?
You must choose all US spelling or all UK spelling. You can’t write some words with American spelling and other words with British spelling. Choose your language and stick to it.
Is British spelling better than American?
In the main, British English and American English are very similar, even with differences in spelling. In today’s world, American spelling is probably winning thanks to Microsoft’s spell checker. There are vocabulary differences and some can cause embarrassing situations if you only know one flavour.
Which American accent is closest to British?
Possibly the closest US American accent to British (sounding and geographically) is mid-Atlantic. This is typically spoken by a US American who has lived a long time in Britain, or vice versa a Brit who spent years in the US.
What is the most British thing to say?
11 Bloody Brilliant British English Phrases
- “Fancy a cuppa?” meaning: “Would you like a cup of tea?”
- “Alright?” meaning: “Hey, how are you?”
- “I’m knackered!” meaning: “I’m tired.”
- Cheeky. meaning: playful; mischievous.
- “I’m chuffed to bits!” meaning “I’m very pleased.”
- Bloody. meaning: very.
- To bodge something.
- “I’m pissed.”
Who speaks the clearest English?
The Netherlands has emerged as the nation with the highest English language proficiency, according to the EF English Proficiency Index, with a score of 72.
What is the difference between American English and British English grammar?
Grammar differences
The British are also more likely to use formal speech, such as ‘shall’, whereas Americans favour the more informal ‘will’ or ‘should’. Americans, however, continue to use ‘gotten’ as the past participle of ‘get’, which the British have long since dropped in favour of ‘got’.
Is the Oxford comma essential or obsolete?
Contrary to what most students believe, the Oxford comma isn’t grammatically correct. But that doesn’t mean it’s wrong to use it. Instead, it’s grammatically optional.