Steve writes:
My daughter in 4th grade is studying the use of commas in sentences. One sentence has proven to be a sore spot with me, her teacher and several people where I work. Could you please correctly punctuate the following sentence and bring peace to my family?
Collecting things such as coins cards and butterflies can be an enjoyable hobby.
I assume the arguments are about how many commas you need. Some authorities say you don't need a comma before the "and" that concludes the list:
coins, cards and butterflies
I don't mind that usage, but I prefer to put in the comma:
coins, cards, and butterflies
The extra comma makes the reader treat each item separately. Without it, we tend to rush through the last two items: coins, cardsandbutterflies!
Whether you put the last comma in, or keep it out, try to be consistent. But it's even more important to use commas and other punctuation to set the pace at which the reader moves through the sentence.
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