Grammar Q - what's the alternative to an Oxford comma?

[roisin]

I always use an Oxford comma:
I went to the shop to buy apples, pears, oranges, and grapes.
AND
I wanted to buy apples, pears, oranges, or grapes.

Our school apparently does not teach an Oxford comma :
I went to the shop to buy apples, pears, oranges and grapes.
But then what?
Is it:
I wanted to buy apples, pears, oranges, or grapes.
OR
I wanted to buy apples, pears, oranges or grapes.

I'd say the latter. I obviously don't use Oxford comma either and I'd write the latter

I was taught the latter way.

Ks, I KNEW you would be on here!

I have never heard of an Oxford comma! I was taught the latter one (ie no comma before the "or" or "and")

Lynne Truss says either is correct. I don't use one, btw so would choose the latter.

I was taught the latter too. Have to say I have never heard of an Oxford comma either.

If you say "apples,pears, oranges, or grapes" its as though you're choosing between buying all of the first three, or the grapes. IYSWIM!

Lynne Truss, from "Eats, Shoots and Leaves":

There are people who embrace the Oxford comma and people who don't, and I'll just say this: never get between these people when drink has been taken....

In Britain, where standard usage is to leave it out, there are those who put it in - including, interestingly, "Fowler's Modern English Usage."

.....

My own feeling is that one shouldn't be too rigid about the Oxford comma. Sometimes the sentence is improved by including it; sometimes it isn't.

(does that help? moo xx)

Oxford comma , and here too

That's Lynne Truss' "own feeling", btw - not mine.

Thanks for the answers about the comma before 'or', that's helpful.

I'm fairly passionately attached to my Oxford commas I must admit; they just seem to make so much more sense to me - especially in more complicated lists: but I am old enough not to argue about them I was actually taught this way at school, but subsequently worked for OUP too, so that no doubt had an influence.

I'm another one who has never heard of it, and I always thought that there shouldn't be a comma there.

I'm with you roisin, even though I didn't know it was called that. I'm sure thinking back that one or more of my favourite children's authors used it (Noel, maybe??) and that's why I decided I would do it too

To me the other commas indicate a pause between spoken words - would you also pause before saying the "or" or "and"? If so there should be another comma and if not there shouldn't. I think!