Commas in lists · Year 4
When you write a list of three or more things in a sentence, put commas between the items. Before the last item, write and (or or) instead of a comma: I bought apples, pears and plums.
Key facts
- Put a comma after each item except the last two: red, blue, green and yellow.
- Before the last item, and or or takes the place of a comma: Do you want tea, juice or water?
- Don't put a comma before the first item or after and.
- A comma before and is called the Oxford comma: apples, pears, and plums. It is usual in American English and is also correct; British school English usually leaves it out.
- An item can be more than one word: a pen, a ruler and a book.