Constant Content

Hi Writers,

I need your help. I have been searching in vain for a resource that will explain a rule that is so basic it seems not to exist.

A lot of authors are eliminating the conjunction "and" in a series of three or more items.

Ex:

Guests to the picnic brought salad, burgers, macaroni and cheese, ice cream.

All of the authoritative sources I have come up with talk about commas or parallelism, not the necessity of "and."

If anyone knows the rule, or better yet, can point me in the direction of a respected source that explains the rule, you will make my day.

Thanks,
Ed

Wow, you're not kidding; it's so basic that it almost doesn't need to be said. Thus, no one appears to have said it. Here's some info about coordinating conjuctions, but it doesn't really talk about the importance of including one: http://www.grammaruntied.com/conjunctio ... ating.html

Yep, that's close. I'm looking for something a little more specific. Thanks, though.

I've searched for:
Conjunction usage
Elements/Things/Items in a series grammar
Rules for creating/structering series grammar
Conjunctions in a series

Maybe there's another way of searching for this rule that I'm drawing a blank on.

The closest I've come is this resource:
http://www.chompchomp.com/terms/iteminaseries.htm
Unfortunately, it only gives examples.

Ed

From Warriner's High School Handbook:

Items in a Series
"...It is permissible to omit the comman before the [i]and[/i] joining the last two items in a series if the comma is not needed to make the meaning clear."

One example given:
"There were books on the desk, posters on the wall, and clothing on the floor."


All other examples include [i]and[/i] before the last item in the series. The necessity of using [i]and[/i] is implied. Can't find a specific reference to having to use [i]and[/i] however. I'll look again when I get home.

Here we go:

http://www.azzcardfile.com/collections/grammar.html (apparently it's shareware grammar tool) shows the following rule:

"Use 'and' or 'or' before the last word or group of words in the series. Separate items in a series with commas."

and cites: Hayley-James, Shirley et al. English 5. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston. c. 1986

Thank you both for your responses. You were a big help.

Ed

I would add that including “and” before the last item in a list is a point of style. Speaking from a poetics point of view, the word “and” before the last item in a list is usually an unstressed syllable, which lends musicality to a line that would otherwise have an emphatic or harsh beat. If the writer intends that, fine: “He came to the potluck dinner with beer, chips, dip! That’s it!” But obviously, only a writer who is in control of the language would intentionally make that choice, not someone who simply hasn’t given the line any more thought than one would give to a grocery list.

Just sayin’.

These instances weren't examples of a writer trying to be creative or establish a rhythm within the text. While omitting the "and" might be appropriate in poetry, or in a speech to give equal gravity to every element in the series, this was simply a case of . . . I don't know what.

Thanks,
Ed

Ed wrote:
Guests to the picnic brought salad, burgers, macaroni and cheese, ice cream.

This is a bit off topic but wouldn't another and in there be a bit repetitive? When I get sentences like this I always stop to try and figure out a way to rephrase it without all the ands. I usually end up with something like

"Guests to the picnic brought salad, burgers, macaroni and cheese, as well as ice cream." or at the very least "... brought macaroni and cheese, salad, burgers and ice cream."

How would you do it? Would you just use another "and"?

Since macaroni and cheese is technically a single item (macaroni and cheese casserole), the "as well as" part doesn't solve the problem with the original series. I'd still add the second "and" to complete the series.

Which is another argument for the serial comma. (I'm a staunch supporter.)

Hmmm .. interesting. Over here we just call it macaroni cheese, so faced with the "macaroni and cheese" thing I'd have been scratching my head.

I so agree about the musicality of language, which is why it's such a good idea to read something aloud to see how it flows. The "and" is so important. The same goes for the whole list of items: arranging them so that they have a musicality makes a sentence so much more attractive to read.

SuzanneBosworth wrote:The same goes for the whole list of items: arranging them so that they have a musicality makes a sentence so much more attractive to read.

Agreed!

To me, the fact that Ed can come to us and ask for suggestions is one of the things that sets CC apart from any other company on the internet. We're damned lucky to have someone like him working FOR US!!! (and when I say working "FOR" us - that's meant as a compliment that can't be stressed enough!)

Thanks Ed,

Dennis

Yes, indeed, we are lucky to have Ed batting for us.