Commas in a series. This is how I learned it in school:

[raccoon]

If more than 2 in a series, there's a comma before the "and"

Example: He bought apples, oranges, and bananas.

But for some years now, I've seen it this way:

He bought apples, oranges and bananas. (no comma)


Did the rule change, and I didn't get the memo?

[Lars39]

1. I learned it the "no comma" way.

That the word "and" takes the place of the last comma and is unspoken for the other commas.

[nuxvomica]

2. In that example, it can go either way

I learned the "bacon and eggs" rule: if another "and" appears in the list, you must include a comma before the "and"; otherwise, it's ok to be lazy. Example: "For breakfast, I had toast, coffee, bacon and eggs, and juice." I prefer the comma in simple lists myself. I think you were taught well.

[Captain Hilts]

3. That's a US-Brit difference. Brits don't use commas before 'and' and we do. In Canada...

it's a constant source of debate.

[begin_within]

4. I was taught the "no comma before the 'and'" rule

so that's what I still use today and when I see a comma before the 'and' it looks wrong to me.

[MiddleFingerMom]

5. I still struggle with this.

.
I was taught (in the 60's) that you put the comma before
the "and", but I think that rule changed over time.
.
Quite frankly, the sentence seems to "flow" better without
that last comma (though omitting it is often STILL not an
instinctive thing for me to do -- even decades after having
decided that the social norm was to omit it, even if not
the official grammatical norm).
.

[Bucky]

6. Either is okay. Either is OK. (on edit: I provide the best answer in this thread)

I personally prefer the extra comma because it seems more consistent, and so does Strunk and White. But the loss of that one comma does not effect the meaning of the sentence.

Grammar and punctuation and all the rules of language arts, please remember, are descriptive of the English language, which is a naturally occurring phenomenon, not blanket prescriptions for how it's all supposed to be.

[Captain Hilts]

7. Both are correct. With the comma is the traditional US way. Without, the Brit way. nt

[MrCoffee]

8. It's the Oxford comma, and while not technically wrong, it's not right, either.

[Dr. Strange]

11. It is right. Indeed, it is the epitome of all that is holy and just.

Observe:

"I would like to thank my parents, Mother Teresa, and the Pope."
vs
"I would like to thank my parents, Mother Teresa and the Pope."

[HopeHoops]

9. No, your "more than 2" rule is correct. People don't understand the problem.

The second example is a purchase of two items - apples, and a combined package of oranges and bananas.

Of course, putting a comma in where it doesn't belong can be just as bad: "My mother makes carrots, and peas in the same pot." (Say it out loud to get the humor).

[fishwax]

10. it's always been taught both ways

I was taught to use it when I was growing up, but now teaching in Illinois, most of my students have been taught not to use it.

In the example you offer there is little chance for confusion either way, but there are situations in which leaving off the comma can cause confusion, as well as a few situations where using the serial comma can cause confusion.

As long as there is no ambiguity created, either way seems fine with me, although I think that, generally speaking, using the serial comma creates less ambiguity.

[SteppingRazor]

12. Either is OK, but generally speaking, the serial comma is silly.

It's sort of like how we Americans insist on inches and feet when the rest of the world has gone on to meters. And even in America, use of the serial comma depends on what style manual you consult. Chicago is for it, while AP is against it. Thus, you probably won't see it in most newspapers, but you probably will see it in most books.

The only time I would use a serial comma is to avoid ambiguity -- For example:

The festival included performances by Metallica, Megadeth, Cannibal Corpse and Belle and Sebastian.

Now, in this instance, it's ambiguous whether it's two bands, Cannibal Corpse and Belle and another one called Sebastian, or two bands, Cannibal Corpse and another one named Belle and Sebastian.

Thus, you use the serial comma:

The festival included performances by Metallica, Megadeth, Cannibal Corpse, and Belle and Sebastian.

But in general, the serial comma is best avoided. Anerica is the only country I'm aware of in which it's used with any regularity in unambiguous instances.

On edit: And, really, in the above example, I would just as soon rewrite the sentence so that it reads:
The festival included performances by Belle and Sebastian, Metallica, Megadeth and Cannibal Corpse.

[Common Sense Party]

13. There's a local RW blogger/radio blowhard that I call a "Commanist"

because of his excessive and unnecessary over-usage of commas.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

14. In Portuguese, it's with no comma. If I remember right, it's that way in Spanish too.

Whoa, the damn Mexicans stole your comma?

[unpossibles]

15. there are multiple usage/style rules

both are acceptable for the most part.

I suggest the book "Eats, Shoots and Leaves"
http://www.amazon.com/Eats-Shoots-Leaves-Tolerance-Punctuation/dp/1592400876

[hedgehog]

16. No comma before the "and", and in the name of all that's holy,

"fewer" is used for items that are counted, "Less" for things that are measured.

I meant to buy 10 apples,a pound of butter and three pounds of flour at the store.

I didn't have enough money, so I bought fewer apples and less butter and flour.

Now, someone explain the difference between good and well to me. I must have been absent that day.

[SteppingRazor]

17. Good should never be an adverb.

It's an adjective that is placed after linking verbs: The outlook seems to be good. (In this case, good describes the outlook, not "seems.")

When the word you want to use describes the verb, not the noun, then you should use "well": She dances well. Not "she dances good," because "well" describes the manner in which she dances, not the woman.

[hedgehog]

18. Now I understand. Thank you.

She does well when cooking good food.

[SteppingRazor]

19. Bingo!

:hi:

[Captain Hilts]

24. Dog how the 'less' when 'fewer' is correct drives me NUTS! It's not difficult!!!

[hedgehog]

25. It enables people to make a mistake in grammar that involves

a mathematical concept.

[azmouse]

20. Eats, Shoots and Leaves

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eats,_Shoots_&_Leaves

Eats, Shoots & Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation is a non-fiction book written by Lynne Truss, the former host of the BBC Radio 4's Cutting a Dash programme. In the book, published in 2003, Truss bemoans the state of punctuation in the United Kingdom and the United States, and describes how rules are being relaxed in today's society. Her goal is to remind readers of the importance of punctuation in the English language by mixing humour and instruction.

[Silver Swan]

21. The US Government Printing Office Style Manual

says this:

(The comma is used) After each member within a series of three or more words,
phrases, letters, or figures used with and, or, or nor.

red, white, and blue
horses, mules, and cattle; but horses and mules and cattle
by the bolt, by the yard, or in remnants
a, b, and c
neither snow, rain, nor heat
2 days, 3 hours, and 4 minutes (series); but 70 years 11
months 6 days (age)

If it's good enough for the Government, it's good enough for me. (And I bet most people don't know that there is a US Government Printing Office Style Manual.)

[rug]

22. I, for one, don't care.

[tango-tee]

23. Hell, English is my second language

and I'm profoundly happy if anyone understands what the hell I'm trying to say in the first place.

Comma, quotation marks, semi-colon and brackets!!!!

Grr.

[miscsoc]

26. the way you described it is how i learned it in british schools

i've never noticed americans overlooking that rue, but there's been less emphasis on grammar recently so maybe putting a comma after that second last item has become common usage.