This is the first column in Comma Connects, an occasional series detailing the building of Comma, the nonprofit set to assume ownership of The Spokesman-Review in 2026, through the personal stories of ...

A lot of people are taught that a comma goes anywhere you want to indicate a pause. On the surface, that system appears to work out fine. Commas often do just that. But not always. Following this ...

A few weeks ago, I mentioned in this space that serial commas, also called Oxford commas, are a matter of style. So either “red, white and blue” or “red, white, and blue” can be correct depending on ...

Why is punctuation important? From emails to text messages, poetry to novels, punctuation guides readers, creates rhythm and brings clarity to even the most complex ideas. Imagine reading a sentence ...

Many people do not know how to use a comma correctly. Timothy Harper, a writing coach, and professor at the Craig Newmark School of Journalism told Business Insider he recommends a "comma diet" for ...

The Oxford comma, so-called because the Oxford University Press style guidelines require it, is the comma before the conjunction at the end of a list. If your preferred style is to omit the second ...

LONDON -- Ever a divisive topic among grammar enthusiasts, the Oxford comma has been at the center of an enduring argument over punctuation. And most recently, the debate has been sparked by the ...