If you’ve ever paused mid-sentence and wondered whether that last comma before “and” really matters, you’re not alone. That punctuation mark, called the Oxford comma, has sparked debates in courtrooms, classrooms, and newsrooms alike.
At Minutes Solutions, however, we use the Oxford comma. Always. Here’s why.
First, What Is the Oxford Comma?
The Oxford comma (also called the serial comma, series comma, or Harvard comma) is the comma that is placed immediately before the final conjunction—usually “and”, “or”, or “nor”—in a list of three or more items. For an example, look at the next sentence:
“We brought notebooks, pens, and highlighters.”
The comma after “pens” is the Oxford comma. Some people skip it. We don’t.
Clarity Is King
Without the Oxford comma, meaning can get muddy fast. Take this example:
- Without Oxford comma: “She dedicated the book to her parents, Oprah and Einstein.”
- With Oxford comma: “She dedicated the book to her parents, Oprah, and Einstein.”
The first version makes it sound as though the author’s parents are Oprah and Einstein. The second version? Clear as day.
When you’re writing for meeting minutes, contracts, or public records, ambiguity isn’t just inconvenient. It’s risky. The Oxford comma adds a small, but powerful layer of clarity that helps your words do exactly what they’re meant to do: communicate.
It’s Not Just About Grammar, But About Trust
When we write something down, especially on behalf of others, we’re creating a record. Readers assume that record reflects what was intended, not just what was typed. That’s why consistency and precision matter.
Using the Oxford comma signals that we’ve thought carefully about how we write each sentence. The Oxford comma is a mark of diligence: a mark that quietly supports credibility, professionalism, and trust.
A Comma That’s Been to Court
In 2018, a group of Maine truck drivers won a $5-million lawsuit because of one missing comma in a labour law. The absence of an Oxford comma changed how the law was interpreted. The courts ruled in favor of the drivers.
This was the portion of the law in question:
“The canning, processing, preserving, freezing, drying, marketing, storing, packing for shipment or distribution of:
(1) Agricultural produce;
(2) Meat and fish products; and
(3) Perishable foods.”
Because there was no comma between “shipment” and “or distribution,” the court interpreted the phrase as referring only to the act of packing, not distributing. Even though the drivers distributed the goods and didn’t pack them as well, the drivers were eligible for overtime.
That single punctuation mark meant the difference between denied and approved overtime pay.
Even the Digital World Is on Board
Grammar checkers, from Microsoft Word’s tool to Grammar.ly to browser based AI tools, usually default to Oxford comma recommendations. The Oxford comma is now widely recognized as a best practice, and not a personal preference.
Final Thought: The Smallest Mark With the Biggest Impact
Minutes Solutions uses the Oxford comma because it makes writing clearer, cleaner, and more reliable. When you’re responsible for documenting decisions, capturing outcomes, or creating permanent records, clear and reliable is exactly what you want.
While it may be tiny, the Oxford comma does a lot of heavy lifting. We’re happy to keep it on the job.