Dear 1L Writer: Use the Oxford Comma

💌 Dear 1L Writer,

This quick guide will help you write more clearly.

🟢 A, B, and C = ✔️ best practice

🔴 A, B and C = ✖️ not best practice

RULE:  DO use a comma before “and” in a list of 3 or more. 

SCOPE:  U.S. legal writing. 

For other types of writing, style guides may disagree. Like me, you might have learned another way. That was not wrong, per se. 

But in U.S. legal English, use a comma after B in A, B, and C.

If you care, the comma after B is called an Oxford comma.

Start using it—always.

It furthers clarity.

Clarity is good.

Fondly,

💌 Amanda

P.S. Try —> #Dear1L (1,392 followers) for future writing tips.

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