Comma dividing two points on a list when the first point includes 'and'

Question

I have a sentence in which the meaning seems to be unclear both with and without a comma. Moreover, I'm unsure whether having a comma is correct at all. The cause is the 'and' in the first point:

These guidelines detail how we use cookies and similar technologies, and the options you have concerning them.

With the comma present, the second 'and' can be read as conjunction and therefore lead the reader to believe it is the beginning of an independent clause, which is what happened when I first read it.
Without the comma, I don't think it is particularly clear either.
Is the comma wrong here?
I would greatly appreciate some help.

Leon Conrad · Answer

Your sentence is about two things detailed in the guidelines cited:
1 - how cookies and similar technologies are used
2 - the options readers have concerning them
Because the first item has an 'and' in it, the writer chose to use a comma before the 'and' that joins the two items for clarity.
This is common in such instances, and is known as the 'Oxford Comma':

there is no comma between the penultimate item in a list and
‘and’/‘or’, unless required to prevent ambiguity – this is sometimes
referred to as the ‘Oxford comma’. However, always insert a comma in
this position if it would help prevent confusion.
He took French, Spanish, and Maths A-levels. (No)
I ate fish and chips, bread and jam, and ice cream. (Yes)
We studied George III, William and Mary, and Henry VIII. (Yes)
She left her money to her parents, Mother Theresa and the pope. (No)

Source: https://www.ox.ac.uk/public-affairs/style-guide p 13

Comma dividing two points on a list when the first point includes 'and'

One Answer

Add your own answers!

Ask a Question