For more on grammar visit the fun, comprehensive, and free EasyBib grammar guides! Explore conjunctions worksheets, prepositional phrase examples, and a list of determiners, too. Also, run your paper through an EasyBib grammar check — it’s a great way to catch easy-to-overlook errors.

What is the Oxford comma?

The Oxford comma is named after the Oxford University Press. It’s also known as the serial comma, and is the last comma in a list of things.

For example:

Laura wants to buy bananas, oranges, apples, and pears.

In this sentence, the Oxford comma lies between “apples” and “and.” It’s difficult to see what the big deal is here. With or without the comma it’s just a list of fruit. But in a famous class action suit, this tiny mark of punctuation changed everything.

A comma in court

In the state of Maine, a group of dairy truckers sued their employer for back overtime earned while delivering goods. At the time, the state law said:

“Workers are not entitled to overtime pay for: “The canning, processing, preserving, freezing, drying, marketing, storing, packing for shipment or distribution of: (1) Agricultural produce; (2) Meat and fish products; and (3) Perishable foods.”

One punctuation-loving lawyer took a look at this and argued that without a comma after the word shipment, it is only the “packaging for shipment” that isn’t eligible for overtime, not the distribution itself. Thanks to the missing comma, the truckers won their case.

Now an anti-Oxford comma supporter could argue that the contract was poorly written and that the meaning would be clear with a simple rearrangement of words. Can you see why this is such a hot topic?

Before you sign up for one team or another, here’s what else the yeas and nays have to say.

Yeas

Easy on the Eyes
The additional comma makes the sentence easier to read.

Clarity
Even in a poorly written sentence, the Oxford comma ensures that the meaning is clear.

The Big Guns
The Modern Language Association (MLA), American Psychological Association (APA), Chicago Manual of Style (CMS), and Oxford University Press all support the Oxford comma.

Old Friends
Many love the Oxford comma because they were taught to use it growing up, and old habits die hard.

Compelling as this all is, you should hear what the other guys have to say.

Nays

American vs. British
Despite its name, the Oxford comma is less likely to be used by Brits.

Don’t Be So Lazy

There is a strong argument for taking the time to craft a sentence that is clear without extra punctuation.

Grammar Snobs
Some believe that the Oxford comma is a pretentious add-on used to make grammar nerds feel superior.

More Big Guns

Associated Press Style Book (AP), and the New York Times do not support the Oxford comma. Keep in mind, however, that newspapers are often pressed for space.

Tip: Some think it is a good idea to decide on a case by case basis, but may we suggest you save yourself some time and choose just one? Otherwise, you’ll have this argument with yourself every time the Oxford comma comes up.

Like the debate over vanilla vs. chocolate, there are no true winners or losers when it comes to the Oxford comma, it’s all about personal taste and that is completely up to you.

Works Cited

Bradley, Rachel. “Why We Need The Serial Comma: 10 Hilarious Real-World Examples.” Dictionary.com, 12 Apr. 2019, www.dictionary.com/e/s/serial-comma/#4.

Johnson, Carla, et al. “The Oxford Comma and Why We Argue Over Grammar.” Ann Handley, 4 Jan. 2019, annhandley.com/oxford-comma/.

“What Is the ‘Oxford Comma’?” Lexico, //www.lexico.com/en/explore/what-is-the-oxford-comma.

A question for you (with the Oxford comma): “It is strange to be known so universally and yet to be so lonely.” Which famous figure said this? Was it a Dr. Seuss quote, from our collection of Albert Einstein quotes, or a Marilyn Monroe movie line? Find out in the EasyBib topic guides!

The post Yeas and Nays of the Oxford Comma appeared first on EasyBib Blog.

There are thousands of words in the English language. Make sure your work uses those words correctly with an EasyBib Plus grammar check free for up to 5 grammar suggestions.

World champion

All of those old papers saved on your computer are actually contributing to a greater cause. More than 80% of information saved on all computers in the world is in English making it the clear hardware dominance winner.

It’s the climb

Climbing halfway up a mountain is better than staying on flat ground but it can’t compete with reaching the summit. So it is no surprise that the direct translation of the adjective mediocre is halfway up a mountain.

No small parts

Where would the English language be without the little dot above the “i”? It’s called a tittle. Go ahead and blush, no one is looking.

Unusual dream

Unique and beautiful like a being from another dimension, the past tense version of the verb dreamt holds the distinct honor of being the only word in English that ends in “mt”.

The classic

Some things are too good to ever go out of style. The noun town is the oldest word still used in the English language, but it never looks out of place.  

A sound plan

The “zip” in zip code actually means something. Zoning improvement plan is the acronym spelled out and we bet you’ll never forget it.

Lone wolves

The words silver, purple, orange and month do not rhyme with any other words, but that’s ok because they are awesome on their own.

Looking sleepy

Take a closer peek at the word bed and what do you see? If “b” is the headboard and “d” is the foot, “bed” may just be the coziest looking word of all.

Word of all trades

Set has 464 definitions in the Oxford dictionary making it the word with the most. Now that is what we call versatility.

Travel safely

We say it over the phone, on the street and so many other places, but you’ll never guess what it actually means. Goodbye is derived from an old English phrase that meant “god be with you”

Create references like the ones below using the EasyBib MLA format generator or APA citation maker.

Works Cited

“30 Fun Facts about the English Language.” Lingoda, 10 Apr. 2018, www.lingoda.com/en/blog/fun-facts-english-language.

By. “20 Titbits Of Word Trivia.” Every Word Counts, 28 Dec. 2017, www.everywordcounts.co.uk/20-titbits-word-trivia/.

“Interesting English Language Facts And Trivia.” English Express, 14 Dec. 2016, www.englishexpress.com.sg/articles/interesting-english-language-facts-trivia/.

Jones, Paul Anthony. “100 Random Facts About The English Language.” The Huffington Post, TheHuffingtonPost.com, 8 Feb. 2015, www.huffingtonpost.com/paul-anthony-jones/100-random-language-facts_b_6272224.html.

For additional information related to a Works Cited MLA, how to do an annotated bibliography MLA, or an example of MLA format, explore our guides at www.EasyBib.com!

The post Word Trivia for English Language Lovers appeared first on EasyBib Blog.

What is a hyphen?

A mark of punctuation that joins words, or word parts, together.

Hyphen Examples: half-baked, non-violent, twenty-seven

Common Hyphen Uses

Numbers

Numbers written or typed from 21 to 99

Examples: 

twenty-one, ninety-nine

Fractions

Written fractions

Examples: 

two-thirds, nine-sixteenths

Connection

If an entire word cannot fit on a single line, a hyphen is used. This is often seen in newspapers or written work.

Examples:

We are planning an explo-

ration of the Amazon.

My English teacher took points off my bibli-

ography since it was not in MLA or APA format.

Compound Modifiers

Words that are joined together to describe the noun that follows.

Example:

kid-friendly restaurant, fashion-forward magazine, MLA in-text citation

Compound Nouns

Two or more words that have been combined to be understood as one.

Example:

six-year-old, daughter-in-law

Note: Compound modifiers  are usually only hyphenated when they come before the noun they describe.

Example:

We live in off-campus housing vs. We live off campus.

The rules for hyphenation are hotly debated and change often. For example, some words that used to be hyphenated, like “homeowners” and “email,” are now simple compound words. To be absolutely sure, use an up-to-date reference guide or dictionary.

Remember: A hyphen’s job is to join words together which means when typed, there should never be a space on either side.

What is a dash?

A mark of punctuation that indicates a range.

Example:

In my opinion 2012 –– 2014 were the best years yet.

A mark of punctuation that indicates a non-essential phrase in a sentence.

Example:

Jenny––who called herself my best friend––stole my boyfriend.

Dashes are longer than hyphens and they come in two types.

En dash

The en-dash is the shorter of the two. It is about as long as the letter “N.” The en-dash indicates range.

Example:

For tonight’s homework, read pages 35–50.

It can also be used to write sports scores.

Example:

Our team won 75–60.

Em dash

The em-dash is the longest of all. It is about the same length as the letter “M” and should never have spaces before or after. As the longest, it is used when you want to create great emphasis on a phrase.

Example:

After I baked the cakes—twelve in total—the client cancelled the order.

How to create hyphens and dashes in a document

One reason hyphens and dashes are confused is that only the hyphen has a designated key on the typical keyboard, but there is a way to create them all. The hyphen is simply the minus sign on your keyboard. Creating a dash is slightly more complicated and varies between word processing programs. For some, tapping the minus sign twice and hitting the space bar is enough, while others require a combination of the shift, control and option keys. A quick online search will help you find the right solution for your writing tools.

Hyphens and dashes may look similar, but if you can master their subtle differences you are well on your way to defining your own writing style.

Now that you have dashes and hyphens down, review your paper for other grammatical points with the EasyBib Plus essay checker! Check for spelling, subject-verb agreement, and other potential issues. We also have grammar guides to help you learn what is a prepositional phrase, how determiners work, how to use interjections, and other grammar basics.

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