{"id":68,"date":"2019-12-07T11:35:58","date_gmt":"2019-12-07T11:35:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/coreqenglish1\/chapter\/conjunctions-and-lists\/"},"modified":"2025-02-06T23:12:29","modified_gmt":"2025-02-06T23:12:29","slug":"conjunctions-and-lists","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/englishcomp1\/chapter\/conjunctions-and-lists\/","title":{"raw":"Conjunctions and Lists","rendered":"Conjunctions and Lists"},"content":{"raw":"<div class=\"textbox learning-objectives\">\r\n<h3>Learning Objectives<\/h3>\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>Demonstrate the standard uses of commas with conjunctions and in lists<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<h2>Coordinating Conjunctions: FANBOYS<\/h2>\r\nCoordinating conjunctions are words that join two words or phrases of equal importance. The mnemonic FANBOYS helps us remember the seven most common:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>for<\/li>\r\n \t<li>and<\/li>\r\n \t<li>nor<\/li>\r\n \t<li>but<\/li>\r\n \t<li>or<\/li>\r\n \t<li>yet<\/li>\r\n \t<li>so<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\nWhen these conjunctions join two words or phrases, no comma is necessary. Let's take a look at the two examples.\r\n<div class=\"textbox examples\">\r\n<h3>Examples: Joining two words or phrases<\/h3>\r\n<strong>Example 1<\/strong>:\u00a0<em>Paula and Lucca had a great time on their date.<\/em>\r\n\r\nPaula and Lucca are two names, connected with a conjunction, and.\r\n\r\n<strong>Example 2: <\/strong><em>Minh turned off the lights but left the door unlocked.<\/em>\r\n\r\n\u201cTurned off\u201d and \u201cleft\u201d are both actions that Minh took. Both actions are connected by a conjunction, and.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\nHowever, when these conjunctions are used to join two independent clauses (or words that could otherwise stand on their own as complete sentences), a comma is required:\r\n<div class=\"textbox examples\">\r\n<h3>Example: Joining Independent clauses<\/h3>\r\nDanny studied the lifespan of rhinoceroses in their native Kenya, and he also studied the lifespan of rhinoceroses in captivity.\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>Danny studied the lifespan of rhinoceroses in their native Kenya. (This could be a sentence.)<\/li>\r\n \t<li>He also studied the lifespan of rhinoceroses in captivity. (This could also be a sentence.)<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\nSo, when we join these two with the conjunction \u201cand,\u201d we also need to add a comma. We could write this as two separate sentences, but we\u2019ve chosen to join them together here.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<h2>Commas in Lists<\/h2>\r\nThe <strong>serial comma<\/strong>, also known as the Oxford comma, is the comma placed before the conjunction (such as <em>and, or, nor<\/em>) in a series of three or more items. The rules surrounding the serial comma are contested; different style guides have varying rules on its usage:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>MLA, APA, and Chicago styles require the serial comma.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>AP style (commonly used in journalism) recommends omitting it.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\nUsing the serial comma can help improve clarity, especially in complex lists.\r\n<div class=\"textbox examples\">\r\n<h3>Examples: The serial Comma<\/h3>\r\n<strong>Example 1: Simple Lists<\/strong>\r\n\r\nWithout the serial comma:\r\n<em>\"I am industrious, resourceful and loyal.\"<\/em>\r\n\r\nWith the serial comma:\r\n<em>\"I am industrious, resourceful, and loyal.\"<\/em>\r\n\r\nWhile both are grammatically correct, the serial comma eliminates potential ambiguity.\r\n\r\n<strong>Example 2: Complex Lists<\/strong>\r\n\r\n<em>\"Medical histories taken about each subject included smoking history, frequency of exercise, current height and weight and recent weight gain.\"<\/em>\r\n\r\nWithout the serial comma, it may seem like <em>current height and weight<\/em> and <em>recent weight gain<\/em> are grouped together. Adding the serial comma clarifies the intended separation:\r\n<em>\"Medical histories taken about each subject included smoking history, frequency of exercise, current height and weight, and recent weight gain.\"<\/em>\r\n\r\n<strong>Example 3: Avoiding Misinterpretation<\/strong>\r\n\r\nWithout the serial comma:\r\n<em>\"I\u2019d like to thank my sisters, Beyonc\u00e9 and Rhianna.\"<\/em>\r\n\r\nThis suggests that the speaker is thanking their two sisters, who are named Beyonc\u00e9 and Rhianna (which could be possible but isn\u2019t true in this case).\r\n\r\nWith the serial comma:\r\n<em>\"I\u2019d like to thank my sisters, Beyonc\u00e9, and Rhianna.\"<\/em>\r\n\r\nNow, it\u2019s clear the speaker is thanking three separate entities: their sisters, as well as the two famous singers Beyonc\u00e9 and Rhianna.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\nBy always using a comma before the \"and\" in any series of three or more you avoid any potential reader confusion.\r\n<div class=\"textbox exercises\">\r\n<h3>Watch iT<\/h3>\r\nThis video explains the reasons why the serial or Oxford comma is still up for debate, and how you can decide when to use it.\r\n\r\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=ptM7FzyjtRk\r\n\r\nYou can view the <a href=\"https:\/\/course-building.s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/English+Comp\/Transcripts\/Grammar'sgreatdivide-TheOxfordcomma-TED-Ed_transcript.txt\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">transcript for \"Grammar's Great Divide- The Oxford comma- TED-Ed\" here (opens in new window)<\/a>.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div class=\"textbox tryit\">\r\n<h3>Try It<\/h3>\r\nhttps:\/\/assess.lumenlearning.com\/practice\/f5bab956-f57e-44d5-8095-bb81723d1570\r\n\r\n<iframe title=\"The commas have been removed from the following sentences. Re-type them, adding the correct commas back in.\" src=\"https:\/\/lumenlearning.h5p.com\/content\/1292198226583164068\/embed\" width=\"1088\" height=\"637\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" aria-label=\"Commas Conjunctions and Lists\"><\/iframe><script src=\"https:\/\/lumenlearning.h5p.com\/js\/h5p-resizer.js\" charset=\"UTF-8\"><\/script>\r\n\r\nSee if you can place the commas or semicolons in their correct locations in the following interactive:\r\n\r\n[embed]https:\/\/lumenlearning.h5p.com\/content\/1290909972228355608\/embed[\/embed]\r\n\r\n<\/div>","rendered":"<div class=\"textbox learning-objectives\">\n<h3>Learning Objectives<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Demonstrate the standard uses of commas with conjunctions and in lists<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<h2>Coordinating Conjunctions: FANBOYS<\/h2>\n<p>Coordinating conjunctions are words that join two words or phrases of equal importance. The mnemonic FANBOYS helps us remember the seven most common:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>for<\/li>\n<li>and<\/li>\n<li>nor<\/li>\n<li>but<\/li>\n<li>or<\/li>\n<li>yet<\/li>\n<li>so<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>When these conjunctions join two words or phrases, no comma is necessary. Let&#8217;s take a look at the two examples.<\/p>\n<div class=\"textbox examples\">\n<h3>Examples: Joining two words or phrases<\/h3>\n<p><strong>Example 1<\/strong>:\u00a0<em>Paula and Lucca had a great time on their date.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Paula and Lucca are two names, connected with a conjunction, and.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Example 2: <\/strong><em>Minh turned off the lights but left the door unlocked.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>\u201cTurned off\u201d and \u201cleft\u201d are both actions that Minh took. Both actions are connected by a conjunction, and.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>However, when these conjunctions are used to join two independent clauses (or words that could otherwise stand on their own as complete sentences), a comma is required:<\/p>\n<div class=\"textbox examples\">\n<h3>Example: Joining Independent clauses<\/h3>\n<p>Danny studied the lifespan of rhinoceroses in their native Kenya, and he also studied the lifespan of rhinoceroses in captivity.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Danny studied the lifespan of rhinoceroses in their native Kenya. (This could be a sentence.)<\/li>\n<li>He also studied the lifespan of rhinoceroses in captivity. (This could also be a sentence.)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>So, when we join these two with the conjunction \u201cand,\u201d we also need to add a comma. We could write this as two separate sentences, but we\u2019ve chosen to join them together here.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h2>Commas in Lists<\/h2>\n<p>The <strong>serial comma<\/strong>, also known as the Oxford comma, is the comma placed before the conjunction (such as <em>and, or, nor<\/em>) in a series of three or more items. The rules surrounding the serial comma are contested; different style guides have varying rules on its usage:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>MLA, APA, and Chicago styles require the serial comma.<\/li>\n<li>AP style (commonly used in journalism) recommends omitting it.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Using the serial comma can help improve clarity, especially in complex lists.<\/p>\n<div class=\"textbox examples\">\n<h3>Examples: The serial Comma<\/h3>\n<p><strong>Example 1: Simple Lists<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Without the serial comma:<br \/>\n<em>&#8220;I am industrious, resourceful and loyal.&#8221;<\/em><\/p>\n<p>With the serial comma:<br \/>\n<em>&#8220;I am industrious, resourceful, and loyal.&#8221;<\/em><\/p>\n<p>While both are grammatically correct, the serial comma eliminates potential ambiguity.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Example 2: Complex Lists<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><em>&#8220;Medical histories taken about each subject included smoking history, frequency of exercise, current height and weight and recent weight gain.&#8221;<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Without the serial comma, it may seem like <em>current height and weight<\/em> and <em>recent weight gain<\/em> are grouped together. Adding the serial comma clarifies the intended separation:<br \/>\n<em>&#8220;Medical histories taken about each subject included smoking history, frequency of exercise, current height and weight, and recent weight gain.&#8221;<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>Example 3: Avoiding Misinterpretation<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Without the serial comma:<br \/>\n<em>&#8220;I\u2019d like to thank my sisters, Beyonc\u00e9 and Rhianna.&#8221;<\/em><\/p>\n<p>This suggests that the speaker is thanking their two sisters, who are named Beyonc\u00e9 and Rhianna (which could be possible but isn\u2019t true in this case).<\/p>\n<p>With the serial comma:<br \/>\n<em>&#8220;I\u2019d like to thank my sisters, Beyonc\u00e9, and Rhianna.&#8221;<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Now, it\u2019s clear the speaker is thanking three separate entities: their sisters, as well as the two famous singers Beyonc\u00e9 and Rhianna.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>By always using a comma before the &#8220;and&#8221; in any series of three or more you avoid any potential reader confusion.<\/p>\n<div class=\"textbox exercises\">\n<h3>Watch iT<\/h3>\n<p>This video explains the reasons why the serial or Oxford comma is still up for debate, and how you can decide when to use it.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" id=\"oembed-1\" title=\"Grammar&#39;s great divide: The Oxford comma - TED-Ed\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/ptM7FzyjtRk?feature=oembed&#38;rel=0\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>You can view the <a href=\"https:\/\/course-building.s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/English+Comp\/Transcripts\/Grammar'sgreatdivide-TheOxfordcomma-TED-Ed_transcript.txt\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">transcript for &#8220;Grammar&#8217;s Great Divide- The Oxford comma- TED-Ed&#8221; here (opens in new window)<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"textbox tryit\">\n<h3>Try It<\/h3>\n<p>\t<iframe id=\"assessment_practice_f5bab956-f57e-44d5-8095-bb81723d1570\" class=\"resizable\" src=\"https:\/\/assess.lumenlearning.com\/practice\/f5bab956-f57e-44d5-8095-bb81723d1570?iframe_resize_id=assessment_practice_id_f5bab956-f57e-44d5-8095-bb81723d1570\" frameborder=\"0\" style=\"border:none;width:100%;height:100%;min-height:300px;\"><br \/>\n\t<\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"The commas have been removed from the following sentences. Re-type them, adding the correct commas back in.\" src=\"https:\/\/lumenlearning.h5p.com\/content\/1292198226583164068\/embed\" width=\"1088\" height=\"637\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" aria-label=\"Commas Conjunctions and Lists\"><\/iframe><script src=\"https:\/\/lumenlearning.h5p.com\/js\/h5p-resizer.js\" charset=\"UTF-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>See if you can place the commas or semicolons in their correct locations in the following interactive:<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"resizable\" src=\"https:\/\/lumenlearning.h5p.com\/content\/1290909972228355608\/embed\" frameborder=\"0\" width=\"500\" height=\"750\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t <section class=\"citations-section\" role=\"contentinfo\">\n\t\t\t <h3>Candela Citations<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t <div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t <div id=\"citation-list-68\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t <div class=\"licensing\"><div class=\"license-attribution-dropdown-subheading\">CC licensed content, Original<\/div><ul class=\"citation-list\"><li>Revision and Adaptation. <strong>Provided by<\/strong>: Lumen Learning. <strong>License<\/strong>: <em><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"license\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-sa\/4.0\/\">CC BY-NC-SA: Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike<\/a><\/em><\/li><\/ul><div class=\"license-attribution-dropdown-subheading\">CC licensed content, Shared previously<\/div><ul class=\"citation-list\"><li>Style For Students Online.. <strong>Authored by<\/strong>: Joe Schall. <strong>Provided by<\/strong>: The Pennsylvania State University. <strong>Located at<\/strong>: <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.e-education.psu.edu\/styleforstudents\/\">https:\/\/www.e-education.psu.edu\/styleforstudents\/<\/a>. <strong>Project<\/strong>: Penn State&#039;s College of Earth and Mineral Sciences&#039; OER Initiative. <strong>License<\/strong>: <em><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"license\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-sa\/4.0\/\">CC BY-NC-SA: Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike<\/a><\/em><\/li><li>Try it Out Conjunctions. <strong>Provided by<\/strong>: Excelsior College OWL. <strong>Located at<\/strong>: <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/owl.excelsior.edu\/grammar-essentials\/parts-of-speech\/conjunctions\/conjunctions-try-it-out\/\">https:\/\/owl.excelsior.edu\/grammar-essentials\/parts-of-speech\/conjunctions\/conjunctions-try-it-out\/<\/a>. <strong>License<\/strong>: <em><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"license\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/\">CC BY: Attribution<\/a><\/em><\/li><\/ul><div class=\"license-attribution-dropdown-subheading\">All rights reserved content<\/div><ul class=\"citation-list\"><li>Grammar&#039;s great divide: The Oxford comma - TED-Ed. <strong>Authored by<\/strong>: Ted-Ed. <strong>Provided by<\/strong>: Ted-Ed. <strong>Located at<\/strong>: <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=ptM7FzyjtRk\">https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=ptM7FzyjtRk<\/a>. <strong>License<\/strong>: <em>All Rights Reserved<\/em>. <strong>License Terms<\/strong>: Standard YouTube license<\/li><li>Comma story - Terisa Folaron. <strong>Authored by<\/strong>: Terisa Folaron. <strong>Provided by<\/strong>: Ted-Ed. <strong>Located at<\/strong>: <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=GHnl1O3NGJk\">https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=GHnl1O3NGJk<\/a>. <strong>License<\/strong>: <em>All Rights Reserved<\/em>. <strong>License Terms<\/strong>: Standard YouTube license<\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t <\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t <\/div>\n\t\t\t <\/section>","protected":false},"author":29,"menu_order":11,"template":"","meta":{"_candela_citation":"[{\"type\":\"original\",\"description\":\"Revision and Adaptation\",\"author\":\"\",\"organization\":\"Lumen Learning\",\"url\":\"\",\"project\":\"\",\"license\":\"cc-by-nc-sa\",\"license_terms\":\"\"},{\"type\":\"cc\",\"description\":\"Style For Students Online.\",\"author\":\"Joe Schall\",\"organization\":\"The Pennsylvania State University\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.e-education.psu.edu\/styleforstudents\/\",\"project\":\"Penn State\\'s College of Earth and Mineral Sciences\\' OER Initiative\",\"license\":\"cc-by-nc-sa\",\"license_terms\":\"\"},{\"type\":\"cc\",\"description\":\"Try it Out Conjunctions\",\"author\":\"\",\"organization\":\"Excelsior College OWL\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/owl.excelsior.edu\/grammar-essentials\/parts-of-speech\/conjunctions\/conjunctions-try-it-out\/\",\"project\":\"\",\"license\":\"cc-by\",\"license_terms\":\"\"},{\"type\":\"copyrighted_video\",\"description\":\"Grammar\\'s great divide: The Oxford comma - 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