comma before 'and' vs. no comma before 'and'

[sushi]

"I took Kathy and my dog to the beach were we enjoyed a picnic lunch."

Ahem.

I took Kathy and my dog to the beach, where we enjoyed a picnic lunch.

Oops. Good catch!

Smacks forehead.

Rewriting it so that it isn't an example is a viable alternative in practice, but doesn't really help with the topic at hand.

I beg to differ.

If there is doubt, with the commas or not, then rewrite the sentence so that it is easier to understand.

After all, the bottom line is communication. Which to me, means getting your point across to the receiver.

 

[Doctor Q]

"I took Kathy and my dog, also named Kathy, to the beach, where we enjoyed a picnic lunch."

Then there's the case where you are identifying a specific beach -- the one where you once enjoyed a picnic lunch:

"I took Kathy and my dog, also named Kathy, to the beach where we enjoyed a picnic lunch."

 

[richard.mac]

if it sounds better with a comma or allows for sentence structure with a break, as Doctor Q mentioned, then i use a comma before "and". if its just a simple listing in a sentence then i dont use a comma.

(yes i write without proper grammar in forum posts , but def. not in uni essays.)

 

[11800506]

I mostly use the comma but sometimes I randomly don't use it.

I just like consistency I guess, so that's why I do it.

 

[r.j.s]

I mostly use the comma but sometimes I randomly don't use it.

That's not very consistent ...

I just like consistency I guess, so that's why I do it.