is the comma needed ?

Test Preparation SAT Preparation
1

<p>Is comma needed here ?
Which is correct ? Thanks</p>

<ul>
<li>I do A, B, C and D</li>
<li>I do A, B, C, and D</li>
</ul>

2

<ul>
<li>I do A, B, C, and D</li>
</ul>

3

<p>Both ways are acceptable.</p>

4

<p>Asked my english teacher about this one day and she said the last comma is becoming the more accepted one.</p>

5

<p>Four items need to be separated by three commas, 3 by 2, etc.</p>

6

<p>Both are correct, second is preferred.</p>

7

<p>I think comma is needed/preferable.</p>

8

<p>I see the former more often in literature, though both are correct.</p>

9

<p>From the Chicago Style Guide -- The source used for the AP and SAT exams:</p>

<p>6.19 Comma needed</p>

<p>Items in a series are normally separated by commas (but see 6.60). When a conjunction joins the last two elements in a series, a comma—known as the serial or series comma or the Oxford comma—should appear before the conjunction. Chicago strongly recommends this widely practiced usage, blessed by Fowler and other authorities (see bibliog. 1.2), since it prevents ambiguity. If the last element consists of a pair joined by and, the pair should still be preceded by a serial comma and the first and (see the last two examples below).</p>

<p>She took a photograph of her parents, the president, and the vice president.
The owner, the agent, and the tenant were having an argument.
I want no ifs, ands, or buts.
Paul put the kettle on, Don fetched the teapot, and I made tea.
The meal consisted of soup, salad, and macaroni and cheese.
John was working, Jean was resting, and Alan was running errands and furnishing food.</p>

10

<p>Both are fine: it's your choice which to use as long as you're consistent. I (and most people) prefer the latter.</p>