English Language Learners Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for speakers of other languages learning English. It only takes a minute to sign up.
Sign up to join this community
Which option is the proper in academic writing for "or" items (apples/pears/oranges):
- I am going to eat red apples or yellow pears or green oranges.
- I am going to eat red apples, or yellow pears, or green oranges.
- I am going to eat red apples, yellow pears or green oranges.
- I am going to eat red apples, yellow pears, or green oranges.
The standard phrasing is #4. "Or" needs to be used before the last item only.
The additional ("Oxford") comma is not necessary; many style guides rule against it. In this case, I think it helps avoid ambiguity.
