Myriora English › Grammar and punctuation › Chapter 4: Punctuation

Commas in lists

Ages 5–7Chapter 4 · Lesson 3

In this lesson

Commas separate the items in a list.
Use and, or or before the last item.
A comma before and is allowed, but usually left out.

Your turn

Which sentence uses commas correctly?

Show the answer

I packed socks, shoes and a hat. Commas between the items, and and before the last one.

The common mistake

Here's a common mistake. Lots of people put and between every item. Eggs and milk and bread and cheese. Use commas instead, and just one and at the end.

Try it at home

Shopping list sentence: write tonight's shopping as one sentence (We need apples, rice, milk and soap.) and count the commas: one fewer than the number of things before and.

Read the whole lesson

Hello, and welcome to Myriora English! When you write a list in a sentence, commas separate the things in it.

Put a comma between the items. Before the last item, use and, or or. I bought eggs, milk, bread and cheese. Would you like tea, juice or water?

Some writers put a comma before the and as well. Both ways are allowed. But in most British school writing, we leave that comma out.

Let's try one together. Where do the commas go? We saw lions tigers bears and zebras. Say it out loud!

After lions, and after tigers! We saw lions, tigers, bears and zebras. Well done if you said that!

Here's a common mistake. Lots of people put and between every item. Eggs and milk and bread and cheese. Use commas instead, and just one and at the end.

Your turn! Which sentence uses commas correctly? Pick the right card. You've got eight seconds, or pause the video. Go!

Time's up! I packed socks, shoes and a hat. Commas between the items, and and before the last one.

Quick review. Commas separate the items in a list. Use and, or or before the last item. A comma before and is allowed, but usually left out. See you next time!