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Some people use the Oxford comma (also known as the Harvard or serial comma). This is a comma before "and" or "or" at the end of a series, regardless of whether it is needed for clarification purposes. For example: X, Y, and Z (with an Oxford comma) X, Y and Z (without an Oxford comma)
If a non-quoted but otherwise identical construction would work grammatically without a comma, using a comma before a quotation embedded within a sentence is optional: The report stated "There was a 45% reduction in transmission rate." (Cf. the non-quotation The report stated there was a 45% reduction in transmission rate.)
The overall rule is to use the Oxford comma when it's absolutely needed for clarity and readability within a sentence. Here's a funny example of when using the Oxford comma would be necessary:
The comma, is a punctuation mark that appears in several variants in different languages. Some typefaces render it as a small line, slightly curved or straight, but inclined from the vertical; others give it the appearance of a miniature filled-in figure 9 placed on the baseline .
Punctuation in the English language helps the reader to understand a sentence through visual means other than just the letters of the alphabet. [1] English punctuation has two complementary aspects: phonological punctuation, linked to how the sentence can be read aloud, particularly to pausing; [2] and grammatical punctuation, linked to the structure of the sentence. [3]
Some English grammar rules were adopted from Latin, for example John Dryden is thought to have created the rule no sentences can end in a preposition because Latin cannot end sentences in prepositions. The rule of no split infinitives was adopted from Latin because Latin has no split infinitives. [41] [42] [43]
Previous names are often better placed in the article body (e.g. under a "History" section) than in the lead, especially if there are several of them. Aside from in the lead sentence in its own article, use the most common name found in the sources, whenever practical, when referring to an organization or other trademark name in article text.
Use a # symbol at the start of a line to generate a numbered list item (excepted as detailed in this section, this works the same as * for bulleted lists, above). List items should be formatted consistently. Summary: Prefer sentence case. Prefer using full sentences, and avoid mixing sentences and fragments as items in the same list.