Serial comma
From TechWriter Wiki
The serial comma is a grammatical construct used immediately prior to a conjunction (typically 'and' or 'or'). Put simply, in a (inline) list of items, the item preceding the 'and' (or 'or') is followed by a comma (the serial comma). The serial comma is well known because common convention used to be that a comma was not used in this position, but most modern styles (especially for technical communications) advocate its use.
A style guide will typically say whether the serial comma should be used. If in doubt, use it.
Examples:
| Without the serial comma | With the serial comma |
|---|---|
| Microsoft Office Standard Edition includes Word, Excel and PowerPoint. | Microsoft Office Standard Edition includes Word, Excel, and PowerPoint |
Note that the serial comma is never used if the list contains only two items - so "bangers and mash" is used, and not "bangers, and mash".
See also:
