Commas in a Series

A comma is a punctuation mark used to separate items in a list, clauses, or parts of a sentence.

A series is a list of three or more items, words, or phrases.

You use commas to separate items in a series, placing a comma before the 'and' in the last item.

I like apples, bananas, and oranges.

Commas help clarify meaning and separate ideas to make sentences easier to read.

Incorrect. It should be: I have a dog, a cat, and a fish.

Correct.

The Oxford comma is the final comma in a list of items, placed before 'and' or 'or'.

Incorrect. It should be: My favorite colors are red, blue, and green.

You do not need a comma. Example: I like tea and coffee.