There shouldn't be a comma before the word and.
From SusoSight
| Number: | 20 |
| Date created: | 2001-12-03 22:02:08 |
| Previous Thought: | Put your money where your mouth is. |
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| Voting results: | Yes: 2 |
[I decided to try a little bit different thought today]
One thing that has always bothered me in printed english is the use of a comma before the word 'and' when it's used in a list of items. An example of this; The quick brown dog walked, ran, and pounced over the lazy red fox. See that comma before the word and? It shouldn't be there. It should be written as "The quick brown dog walked, ran and pounced over the lazy red fox."
My mother majored in english in college and has written several essays and a book. She says that using the comma before the and is something that has caught on recently. I say stop it! I think it's more pleasing to the eyes and easier to read if it's not there.