Grammar: Lists

Writers are bad at lists – perhaps because they're worrying about Oxford commas, or have been told they can't have more than one "and" in a sentence. If you want a rule, here's one: Lists must go "noun, noun and noun", or "verb, verb and verb". Your list can't go noun, noun and verb. Make it noun and noun, and verb. Note comma before the last "and".

Children are dying from dirty water, poor sanitation and hygiene. Or is it "poor sanitation, hygiene and dirty water? Water Aid have juggled the voiceover on their TV ad more than once, but they’re still telling us that children die from hygiene. What they mean is: dirty water, poor sanitation and POOR hygiene. Or: poor sanitation and hygiene, AND dirty water.

@MinnOrchia claims: I have a female personality, including high levels of anxiety, submissiveness and low self-esteem. He has high low self-esteem? He means: high levels of anxiety AND submissiveness, and low self-esteem.

@GrimArtGroup: He sold loose biscuits, loose tobacco and strikes me as the type of lovely bloke who wouldn’t hurry you when you were choosing yer tuppenny mix. (He sold loose biscuits AND loose tobacco, and strikes me... Note the comma before the and.)

He went on to write plays for the Royal Court, a screenplay for Ken Russell (in whose film The Devils he acted as Cardinal Richelieu), and his satirical poem I Shall Vote Labour – with its refrain “I shall vote Labour because... – became a popular poster in students’ bed­rooms in the 1960s. (The Week. Needs an and – no comma – after "Royal Court".)

While tradition might provide comfort, familiarity, and even bind groups of people… (Comfort AND familiarity...)

Much aid to “poorer nations” is wasted, mismanaged or goes down the corruption trail. (Aid is goes? Much aid to “poorer nations” is wasted OR mismanaged, or goes down the corruption trail. Note the last comma.)

They have a designated bathroom area, garbage area and are even recycling. (They have a designated bathroom area AND A garbage area, and are even recycling.)

Airbath’s Air Royale has hundreds of microjets, underwater lights and can hold two people. (Evening Standard, 2005. It has underwater lights and hundreds of microjets, AND can hold two people) 

I buy organic milk, free-range eggs and always put the recycling out on a Thursday. (New Scientist 2004. I buy organic milk AND free-range eggs, and always put...)

He became guarded, withdrawn and found solace in the world of books. (He became guarded AND withdrawn, and found solace in the world of books.)

Based on bone density, he was a strong man who lived and worked with a broken back, hand and died of a broken neck. (Based on bone density, THEY CONCLUDED THAT he was a strong man, ONE who HAD lived and worked with a broken back AND hand, AND died of a broken neck. "Bone density" only shows his strength.)

Harnisch spent three decades as a newspaper copy editor, ensuring stories contained no inaccuracies, inconsistencies, and were grammatically correct. (Crimereads.com. Harnisch spent three decades as a newspaper copy editor, ensuring stories contained no inaccuracies OR inconsistencies, and were grammatically correct.)

Herne the Hunter is said to have antlers growing from his head, ride a horse, torment cattle and rattle chains. (Put the longest item last. Can we make “have antlers” more active? Herne the Hunter is said to ride a horse, torment cattle, rattle chains and sport a set of antlers. Or start with "The antler-headed Herne...")

Sometimes, these “magi” were depicted as performing divination, ritual activities or educating young boys who would take the throne. (Theconversation.com. Sometimes these “magi” were depicted as performing divination OR ritual activities, or educating young boys who would take the throne. You need an “or” between the two verbs: performing and educating; and between the nouns: divination and ritual activities.)

Winchester Market has stalls selling handcrafted gifts, a steel band and a rock choir. (Turn it round, or make it “gifts PLUS a steel band”. The stalls are not selling steel bands. Has a steel band, a rock choir and stalls selling etc.)

With its errors, distortions, bias, and evasion, this is a shameful account of the British and their art. No one asks for a roseate and patriotic narrative, just one that is correct, well-informed, and which encourages visitors to assess for themselves. (Spectator on the Tate, 2023. They mean “rosy”, and need an “and” between correct and well-informed.)

@RGRyan777: Are you ever watching a movie, a streaming series or reading a book and think to yourself, “My God. How in the world did this ever get produced/published?” (Are you ever watching a movie OR a streaming series, or reading a book, and think to yourself, “My God. How in the world did this ever get produced/published?”) 

This is George Manuel Unwin, a Chilean opera singer who paraded around Paris in his spats, wearing a monocle, hat and carrying a cane. (...wearing a monocle and a hat, and carrying a cane.)

Savannah cats... are playful, loyal and like to be in water. (Times, April 2024. The cats are playful AND loyal, AND like to be in water.)

Via Twitter: EDI training needs to be legally accurate and not counterproductive. Yet too often in last 10 years it has been activist dominated, divisive and led companies to Employment Tribunals like the Borg-Neal v Lloyd’s Bank or Phoenix v Open University cases. (A list can't go "adjective, adjective and verb". And you can't use the "has" from "has been" twice. Yet too often in last 10 years it has been activist dominated AND divisive, AND HAS LED companies to Employment Tribunals like...) 

@DiningNearMe I baked a Dutch apple pie. Would you add whipped cream, ice cream, or eat as is? (Would you add whipped cream, add ice cream, or eat as is? Verb, verb, or verb. Also possible: Would you add whipped cream OR ice cream, OR eat as is? Noun or noun, or verb.)

The plant is claimed to be antidepressant, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and to have a positive effect on Alzheimer's. (From Twitter. Adjective, adjective, adjective and noun! Prefer: The plant is claimed to be antidepressant, antioxidant AND anti-inflammatory, and to have a positive effect on Alzheimer's.) 

When Isaac Newton stayed at home to avoid the 1665 plague, he discovered the laws of gravity, optics, and he invented calculus. (He discovered the laws of gravity AND optics, AND he invented calculus.)

She's young, but articulate, knowledgeable, lively and explains things so clearly. (Jennifer Gingrich. She's young but articulate, knowledgeable AND lively, and explains things so clearly. Adjective, adjective and adjective, and verb.)

She taught music, science and was head of sixth form. (BBC. She taught music AND science, AND was head of sixth form. Noun and noun, and verb.)

@womensart1: Bicycles brought unprecedented freedom to many women, creating a change in restrictive clothing, independence of movement and were an iconic symbol of early feminism. (Bicycles brought unprecedented freedom to many women, creating independence of movement AND a change in restrictive clothing, and were an iconic symbol of early feminism.)

@LeeAnderson We have British charities in Calais encouraging these illegal migrants to their camps where they shelter, feed, give them phones, data and learn them to speak English. (We have British charities in Calais encouraging these illegal migrants to their camps where they shelter AND feed THEM, give them phones AND data, and TEACH them to speak English.) 

@JaneQuaife He's never done a family wash by hand. It's wasteful of water, inefficient and modern clothes aren't made for it. (It's wasteful of water AND inefficient, and modern clothes aren't made for it. Adjective AND adjective, AND adjective noun verb.)

The head of the coven is Mr. Ellsworthy, an antique shop owner whose hands are unusually long, pale, and occasionally spattered with blood. (Chris Chan, agathachristie.com. Unusually long AND pale, and occasionally etc.)

@dieworkwear Once a suit jacket has lost its original pair of pants—either because they've been worn through, stained, ripped, or otherwise made unwearable—there's nothing you can do. (Once a suit jacket has lost its original pair of pants—because they've been worn through, stained, ripped or otherwise made unwearable—there's nothing you can do. Just needs to lose the "either", and the comma before the last "or". Either/or can only refer to two possibilities.)

She  came across as ill-informed, condescending and posed complete non-sequiturs. (...ill-informed AND condescending, AND posed...)
 

Even P.G. Wodehouse:

She had a beaky nose, tight thin lips, and her eye could have been used for splitting logs in the teak forests of Borneo.

More here, and links to the rest.