Punctuation is necessary to understand text better because it tells us where to pause in the sentence or completely stop. It helps us to better understand any text.
However, it becomes challenging related to use of comma before and.
In this article, you will learn whether or not should you use comma before and in your writing.
The comma before and means that when we place comma in the sentence before the word and. We usually place comma before and when the word and connect two parts of a sentence with each other . The main purpose of adding comma before and is to make our sentence clear for the reader so that they can understand better.
Rules for Using a Comma Before And
Here are the main rules for using a comma before and.
1. In a list
When place comma before and when the word appears in a list. The helps us to make our sentence clear and avoid any ambiguity int he meaning. Comma before and is commonly known as oxford comma or seriel comma.
For example:
- I bought apples, oranges, and bananas.
- I bought apples, oranges and bananas.
The first sentences make it clears that oranges and bananas are two different things.
2. In Compuont Sentences
When we use two independent clauses in a sentence, that sentence is known as a compound sentence and we use a comma before and in compound sentences.
For example:
- I went to the store, and I bought some milk.
I went to the store and I bought some milk are both complete sentences. Therefore we add comma before and to connect both sentences for better readability.
3. For Emphasis or Clarity
The third scenario is when we want to add emphasis in the sentence or make the sentence clear for our readers. in such scenario, we add comma before and to make our sentence more better and clear.
For example:
- He was tired, and ready to go home.