When to Use a Comma Before “And”

Use a comma before and when connecting two independent clauses.
Placing a comma before the and that precedes the last item in a list of three or more items is optional.
The comma before and in a list is called the Oxford comma or serial comma. Some style guides call for using it, while others call for leaving it out.
Don’t use a comma before and when connecting an independent clause to a dependent clause or in a list of just two items.

A comma can provide an important pause between parts of a sentence. But in practice, figuring out where commas belong can be difficult. Rest assured, if you’re slightly confused, you aren’t alone.

Simply put, whether you put a comma before and depends on how you’re using and. Here’s a quick guide to help you master when to use a comma before and in your writing.

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Comma before and connecting two independent clauses

Do you need a comma before and in lists?

When you don’t need a comma before and

When you need a comma after and

Comma before and connecting two independent clauses

Use a comma before and when connecting two independent clauses. The word and acts as a coordinating conjunction when it connects two independent clauses, so you should use a comma before it. The proper place for the comma is before the conjunction.

On Monday we’ll see the Eiffel Tower and on Tuesday we’ll visit the Louvre.

On Monday we’ll see the Eiffel Tower, and on Tuesday we’ll visit the Louvre.

You can identify the two independent clauses in the correct example above by the fact that either one of them could stand independently as a complete sentence. So they require a comma before and to separate them.

Here’s a tip: When joining two independent clauses, you need a comma and a coordinating conjunction (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, and so). If you use a comma without the conjunction, you’ll have a comma splice. Grammarly can help you avoid comma splices.

Here’s another example:

It’s cold outside and I can’t find my coat.

It’s cold outside, and I can’t find my coat.

Once again, we have two independent clauses: “It’s cold outside” and “I can’t find my coat.” Therefore, we need a comma before and.

This rule applies even when a pronoun in the second independent clause refers to the same person or thing in the first independent clause.

Bob loves watching baseball and he goes to a game at least once a week.

Bob loves watching baseball, and he goes to a game at least once a week.

It also applies when the second independent clause includes the same verb.

Bob loves watching baseball and he loves his baseball card collection even more.

Bob loves watching baseball, and he loves his baseball card collection even more.

Exceptions to the “comma before and between independent clauses” rule

But wait! There’s an exception to this rule. When you have two independent clauses joined by and, most style guides say the comma before and is optional as long as the two independent clauses are simple and closely connected.

Here’s an example:

Bilal cooked and Arya cleaned.

While it’s not incorrect to add a comma before and in the sentence above, doing so might make the sentence read less smoothly:

Bilal cooked, and Arya cleaned.

Do you need a comma before and in lists?

The comma before and at the end of a list of three or more items (the Oxford comma or serial comma) is optional. However, as you’ve probably noticed, many people have strong feelings about this topic. We’ll get to that shortly.

Let’s say your dog has so many great qualities that you just have to tell the world about them. When you list your dog’s qualities, you have to use a comma after each quality you list except the one that comes immediately before and. That comma is optional.

My dog is young, well-trained, and good-natured.

My dog is young, well trained and good-natured.

The sentence above is correct with or without the comma before and.

What is the Oxford comma?

The comma before and at the end of a list is called the Oxford comma or serial comma. Exactly why this quirk of comma usage stirs such passion is hard to say, but the different contexts in which it is used or not used may have something to do with it: The Associated Press Stylebook—followed by many news organizations—advises avoiding the Oxford comma except when necessary for clarity. Conversely, The Chicago Manual of Style, used by many magazine and book publishers, and Modern Language Association (MLA) style, used in academic contexts, are both strong proponents of the Oxford comma.

Please bring me a pencil, eraser, and notebook.

The Oxford comma is the one right after eraser. The above example in AP style would look like this:

Please bring me a pencil, eraser and notebook.

It’s not incorrect to use the Oxford comma or not to use it, but you should be consistent. Don’t switch back and forth in the same document between using the Oxford comma and not using it. Also, be aware that many situations, school, and work among them, will have their own rules about whether you should use it.

Although permissible, omitting the Oxford comma can sometimes cause strange misunderstandings. Even if you’re following a professional or personal style that doesn’t use the Oxford comma, it’s always all right to use one to avoid confusion.

I love my parents, my dog and my cat.

Without the Oxford comma, the sentence above could be interpreted as saying you love your parents and that your parents are your dog and your cat. Here’s the same sentence with the Oxford comma:

I love my parents, my dog, and my cat.

Those who oppose the Oxford comma may argue that rephrasing an already unclear sentence can solve the same problems that adding an Oxford comma would. For example, the sentence above could be rewritten as:

I love my dog, my cat and my parents.

When you don’t need a comma before and

The Oxford comma debate aside, there are some situations where you shouldn’t place a comma before and, such as when you’re connecting an independent clause to a dependent clause or creating a list with just two items. Here’s how to know when a comma before and would be incorrect.

Connecting a dependent clause

Don’t use a comma before and when connecting an independent clause to a subordinate clause, also known as a dependent clause.

Livya tossed the ball, and watched the dog chase it.

The first clause, “Livya tossed the ball,” could stand on its own as a complete sentence, which means it’s an independent clause. But the second clause, “watched the dog chase it,” can’t stand alone as a complete sentence. That means it’s a dependent clause, so you shouldn’t use a comma before and.

Livya tossed the ball and watched the dog chase it.

Lists with two items

You shouldn’t use a comma before and if you’re mentioning only two items in a list.

The dog is well-trained, and good-natured.

The dog is well-trained and good-natured.

The example above connects two adjectives (well-trained and good-natured) that modify the same noun (dog). This rule also applies to two nouns, two verbs, and so on.

Sam, and Masai take excellent care of their pets.

Sam and Masai take excellent care of their pets.

Here, and connects two nouns (Sam and Sarah), forming a compound subject. Because there are only two of them, no comma should come between them.

The dog barks, and plays.

The dog barks and plays.

This example uses a compound predicate made up of two verbs (barks and plays) that share a subject (the dog). Here too, because there are only two verbs in the list, there should not be a comma between them.

When you need a comma after and

You don’t generally need a comma after and unless a sentence is interrupted by a parenthetical phrase set off by commas. A parenthetical phrase adds extra information to the sentence but can be removed without changing the core meaning of the sentence.

Here are some examples:

Melissa grabbed her keys and, without a second thought, dashed out the door.

The puppy came back inside and, to everyone’s amazement, fell asleep immediately.

Remember, how you use a comma with and depends on how you’re using and. Follow the rules above, and you’ll be one step closer to using commas with confidence.

Use Grammarly’s Grammar Checker to help point out when to use commas and other punctuation while ensuring your writing is mistake-free. Want to learn about other ways to use a comma correctly? Check out our Rules for Using Commas.