Year 3 English: Commas in a list (revision)
Part of the Year 3 English punctuation chapter. Chapter overview · whole chapter on one page
Commas in a list (revision)
A list names three or more things in one sentence. Put a comma (,) between the items. Put and before the last item, with no comma before it.
This is revision from Year 2, but you need it for the rest of this chapter. Two things are joined by and only, with no comma.
| Number of things | Pattern | Example |
|---|---|---|
| two | X and Y | bread and jam |
| three | X, Y and Z | bread, jam and milk |
| four | X, Y, Z and W | bread, jam, milk and eggs |
Key ideas
- A list has three or more things.
- Put a comma between the items, but not before and.
- Put and before the last item.
- Two things are joined by and only, with no comma.
Method. Put a comma after each item, except the last two. Put and before the last item.
- Count the things in the list. There are 4 things. The word and sits before the last one.eggs, milk, flour and butter
- Put a comma between the items. Put a comma after each item except the last two. Do not put a comma before and.We need eggs, milk, flour and butter.
- Write the answer. We need eggs, milk, flour and butter.
Check. There are 2 commas, one after each item except the last two. ✓
Watch out. Do not put a comma before and. Two things are joined by and only.
Method. Count the items, then take away the last two. The last two are joined by and.
- Count the items. Each thing in the list is one item.4 items
- Count the commas. A comma goes after each item except the last two. The last item comes after and.4 - 2 = 2 commas
- Write the answer. 2
Check. The list is: Ali packed a hat, gloves, a scarf and a torch. ✓
Watch out. Commas go between the items, not before and.
Method. Put a comma after each item, except the last two. Put and before the last item.
- Count the things in the list. There are 3 things. The word and sits before the last one.a pen, a ruler and a rubber
- Put a comma between the items. Put a comma after each item except the last two. Do not put a comma before and.The bag has a pen, a ruler and a rubber.
- Write the answer. The bag has a pen, a ruler and a rubber.
Check. There are 1 commas, one after each item except the last two. ✓
Watch out. Do not put a comma before and. Two things are joined by and only.
Watch out
Watch out: do not put a comma before and. We need eggs, milk and butter. has one comma after eggs. The comma after milk is not needed.
Exam tip
Grown-up tip. Ask your child to read the list aloud with a short pause after each item. Put the commas where the pauses are, but not before and.
Exercise 5D Practice: commas in a list
Method. Put a comma after each item, except the last two. Put and before the last item.
- Count the things in the list. There are 4 things. The word and sits before the last one.apples, pears, plums and grapes
- Put a comma between the items. Put a comma after each item except the last two. Do not put a comma before and.We bought apples, pears, plums and grapes.
- Write the answer. We bought apples, pears, plums and grapes.
Check. There are 2 commas, one after each item except the last two. ✓
Watch out. Do not put a comma before and. Two things are joined by and only.
Method. Count the items, then take away the last two. The last two are joined by and.
- Count the items. Each thing in the list is one item.4 items
- Count the commas. A comma goes after each item except the last two. The last item comes after and.4 - 2 = 2 commas
- Write the answer. 2
Check. The list is: Mia packed socks, a hat, a coat and gloves. ✓
Watch out. Commas go between the items, not before and.
Method. Put a comma after each item, except the last two. Put and before the last item.
- Count the things in the list. There are 4 things. The word and sits before the last one.red, blue, green and yellow
- Put a comma between the items. Put a comma after each item except the last two. Do not put a comma before and.I like red, blue, green and yellow.
- Write the answer. I like red, blue, green and yellow.
Check. There are 2 commas, one after each item except the last two. ✓
Watch out. Do not put a comma before and. Two things are joined by and only.
Method. Put a comma after each item, except the last two. Put and before the last item.
- Count the things in the list. There are 4 things. The word and sits before the last one.bread, cheese, apples and pears
- Put a comma between the items. Put a comma after each item except the last two. Do not put a comma before and.The shop sells bread, cheese, apples and pears.
- Write the answer. The shop sells bread, cheese, apples and pears.
Check. There are 2 commas, one after each item except the last two. ✓
Watch out. Do not put a comma before and. Two things are joined by and only.
Method. Count the items, then take away the last two. The last two are joined by and.
- Count the items. Each thing in the list is one item.3 items
- Count the commas. A comma goes after each item except the last two. The last item comes after and.3 - 2 = 1 commas
- Write the answer. 1
Check. The list is: Sam likes football, swimming and chess. ✓
Watch out. Commas go between the items, not before and.
Method. Count the things in the sentence.
- Count the things. There are two names, Ben and Mia, joined by and.Ben and Mia
- Decide if a comma is needed. Two things joined by and need no comma.no comma
- Write the answer. No. Only two names are joined by and, so no comma is needed.
Check. Two things joined by and need no comma. ✓
Watch out. A comma is for a list of three or more things.
Method. Put a comma after each item, except the last two. Put and before the last item.
- Count the things in the list. There are 3 things. The word and sits before the last one.a tent, a torch and a map
- Put a comma between the items. Put a comma after each item except the last two. Do not put a comma before and.We packed a tent, a torch and a map.
- Write the answer. We packed a tent, a torch and a map.
Check. There are 1 commas, one after each item except the last two. ✓
Watch out. Do not put a comma before and. Two things are joined by and only.
Method. Put a comma after each item, except the last two. Put and before the last item.
- Count the things in the list. There are 4 things. The word and sits before the last one.red shoes, blue socks, a green cap and a yellow scarf
- Put a comma between the items. Put a comma after each item except the last two. Do not put a comma before and.Tom has red shoes, blue socks, a green cap and a yellow scarf.
- Write the answer. Tom has red shoes, blue socks, a green cap and a yellow scarf.
Check. There are 2 commas, one after each item except the last two. ✓
Watch out. Do not put a comma before and. Two things are joined by and only.
Method. Put a comma after each item, except the last two. Put and before the last item.
- Count the things in the list. There are 4 things. The word and sits before the last one.a cow, a sheep, a goat and a pig
- Put a comma between the items. Put a comma after each item except the last two. Do not put a comma before and.We saw a cow, a sheep, a goat and a pig.
- Write the answer. We saw a cow, a sheep, a goat and a pig.
Check. There are 2 commas, one after each item except the last two. ✓
Watch out. Do not put a comma before and. Two things are joined by and only.
Method. Put a comma after each item, except the last two. Put and before the last item.
- Count the things in the list. There are 3 things. The word and sits before the last one.a red hat, blue shorts and white socks
- Put a comma between the items. Put a comma after each item except the last two. Do not put a comma before and.Tom wore a red hat, blue shorts and white socks.
- Write the answer. Tom wore a red hat, blue shorts and white socks.
Check. There are 1 commas, one after each item except the last two. ✓
Watch out. Do not put a comma before and. Two things are joined by and only.
Method. Count the commas for each list.
- Look at three things. Three things: one comma after the first item, and before the last.a, b and c: 1 comma
- Look at four things. Four things: a comma after the first two items, and before the last.a, b, c and d: 2 commas
- Write the answer. No. A list of three needs one comma, and a list of four needs two. There is never a comma before and.
Check. Check by reading each list aloud. ✓
Watch out. Also accept: No, three things need one comma and four things need two.