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November 26, 2005
AP Guide to Newswriting, Ch 12
"The adult education program offers a wide variety of courses, such as woodworking, French cookery, creative writing, and origami, among others.
The simple trick of omitting and before the final item in a list suggests it is an incomplete list. Read it aloud and you will see." (121)
I think this is once instance where the AP Guide is giving bad advice. I think that leaving and out of the sentence does not imply an incomplete list, it just makes the sentence seem incomplete. I agree that among others should be taken out, but I think and should remain in the sentence. When an author uses the phrase such as before a list, to me that implies that the list to follow is only a sample from a complete list. Therefore, the reader will already know it is incomplete.
Posted by LorinSchumacher at November 26, 2005 6:35 PM
Comments
I have to agree with you there, Lorin. I think it sounds weird if you omit the "and" in that sentence, and it certainly wouldn't be a red flag in my mind for any other reason than that.
Posted by: ChrisU at November 28, 2005 7:19 PM