Pedants' corner
Semicolon before 'and' ?
MagnoliaMix · 03/02/2023 13:17
Please help, wonderful pedants. I'm using semicolons to separate a list of clauses, the last of which is preceded by 'and'. My colleague insists on a semicolon before the 'and'. But it doesn't sit right with me.
What's correct please ? The sentence is something like: 'Participants discussed the importance of healthcare; competition for jobs; efforts to reform the school system; and opportunities for youth" (but not that sentence!)
TIA
SenecaFallsRedux · 03/02/2023 14:29
balconylife · 03/02/2023 14:20
I'm with Babdoc. In your example I wouldn't use semicolons at all.
Here's what I would write:
Participants discussed the importance of healthcare, competition for jobs, efforts to reform the school system and opportunities for youth.
I would use commas, but I would use a comma before "and." The serial or Oxford comma is optional, but with a string of phrases (as opposed to single words), I think it is clearer and more elegant.
If you use semi-colons, you need one before "and." Semi-colons are often the preference for a string of phrases, but these are fairly short, so I would stick with commas.
follyfoot37 · 19/02/2023 10:11
MagnoliaMix · 03/02/2023 13:17
Please help, wonderful pedants. I'm using semicolons to separate a list of clauses, the last of which is preceded by 'and'. My colleague insists on a semicolon before the 'and'. But it doesn't sit right with me.
What's correct please ? The sentence is something like: 'Participants discussed the importance of healthcare; competition for jobs; efforts to reform the school system; and opportunities for youth" (but not that sentence!)
TIA
Noooo, you do not use a semi-colon before the 'and' (actually, they shouldn't be used in this example - the semi-colon is required after 'of', then a comma should be used when listing items such as these. Indeed, you do not even require an Oxford comma before the and because items on the list all are related.
The Oxford comma would be used for example, if your sentence was
Participants discussed the importance of; healthcare, competition for jobs, efforts to reform the school system, and how these could be addressed
ZIEVAR · 19/02/2023 10:31
I would use a colon, then commas, but not before the 'and' . i.e. .Participants discussed: the importance of health care, competitions for jobs, reform of the school system and oportunities for youth.
But, I am an old Scottish lady who may have had different teaching.
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