rabbiofberlin:
before attacking me, youre comma rule for “beofore and is not correct:
One of the questions we are asked frequently is whether a comma should go before the conjunction “and” in a series of three or more items. The answer is yes. Although grammar gurus abandoned that comma rule for a while in the twentieth century, we have since realized that using the serial comma (as it is called) is a good idea for two reasons:
First, it prevents misreading. Consider this sentence, for example:
The menu for the class picnic will feature green beans, stewed apples, macaroni and cheese and okra and tomatoes.
Without the serial comma, the series items are difficult to see. Here is the same sentence with the serial comma added:
The menu for the class picnic will feature green beans, stewed apples, macaroni and cheese, and okra and tomatoes.
With the serial comma, the reader can tell easily that the class ate four different dishes, not five or six, as may have been construed without that last comma.
Mrs. Jones left all her money to her three children: Huey, Dewey and Louie.
Without the serial comma, the sentence does not clearly indicate that the three children are to be given equal shares of the inheritance. Quite possibly (especially if Huey were a jerk), Huey would get half the money, and Dewey and Louie would have to split the other half.