OT: Word?

[Scott]

Bizarre ... does anyone know why some of the time Word suggests a comma before the word 'and' (separating two parts of a sentence), and other times it says it is better without the comma?

[GB]

If you gave us say 10 example sentences, showing the two types of behaviour ...

[Ottavio Caruso]

Am 19/10/2023 um 13:34 schrieb Scott:

Who uses M$ Word any more? Don't we all use Libreoffice nowadays?

[Brian Gaff]

Context, I'd assume, do you have the grammar check turned on by any chance. I hate that feature it makes everyone sound like a banal smart ass. Brian

[The Natural Philosopher]

I dunno about word, but if you have a simple list, the convention is a, b. c and d. But if you have a sort of subordinate clause. Like : "He came with a, b and c, and an ice cream in each hand", you might well use an extra and after a comma.

That's why we were taught to parse sentences, to understand how to break them down into sections and separate them with punctuation in a standard way to avoid ambiguity.

The Blair generation cant talk or write standard English, Its a mumbled mishmash of misplaced singulars and plurals, repetitive constructions and generally sloppy language.

Because teaching correct English is somehow too 'posh' for comprehensive schools

[Tim Streater]

Or comprehensible English. A colleague I once had was so poor at written English that I had to parse each of his sentences several times even to being to extract the meaning.

[Robin]

and also tell us if you have the "Oxford comma" option ticked in Options>Proofing>Writing Style (Grammar) Settings> under "Punctuation conventions".

[Scott]

Thanks. It's 'Writing & Refinements' on mine. I see there are loads of comma options in there. I shall give this careful consideration.