Commas in a list
You learn to use commas to separate the things in a list.
How to do the test
- Find the list of three or more things.
- Put a comma between the items.
- Do not put a comma before and.
A worked example
Put the comma in the right place. We bought apples pears and grapes.
- The sentence has a list of three: apples, pears and grapes.
- Put a comma between the items, but not before and.
- The comma goes after apples.
More examples
Put the comma in the right place. The zoo had lions tigers and bears.
- The sentence has a list of three: lions, tigers and bears.
- Put a comma between the items, but not before and.
- The comma goes after lions.
Put the comma in the right place. He ran jumped and shouted.
- The sentence has a list of three: ran, jumped and shouted.
- Put a comma between the items, but not before and.
- The comma goes after ran.
Try it yourself
We bought apples pears and grapes.
Tom Mia and Sam are friends.
Watch out
You put a comma before and.
And already joins the last two items. Put the comma between the earlier items only.
Tips
- Say the list out loud. Each small pause is where a comma goes.
Why it works
A comma tells the reader where one item ends and the next one begins. In a list of three, the comma goes between the first two. The last two are joined by and, so they need no comma.