mv2005 wrote:
Bone Idol wrote:
I agree with everything above, including the ones that are clearly wrong! For a bonus point, your daughter should point out that the question is a good example of where the Oxford comma would be well employed.
It doesn't matter for the maths, because the question specifies "three types of books", so the rest of the sentence is redundant. However for clarity, it is ambiguous as to whether the 3 types are:
Fiction,
Comic and Science &
Technology
Or:
Fiction,
Comic and
Science & Technology
It would be better as Fiction, Comic, and Science & Technology.
I think developing a reputation as a smart-ass and pedant early in her academic career would be very beneficial for your daughter.
I took another look at the Q and the wording is worse than in conveyed...
Fiction, Comic and Science and Technology.
Don’t tell me there’s 4 types of books!
While I am a staunch proponent of the oxford comma, the lack of one here does not add any ambiguity to the question.
The question doesn't say "Fiction, Comic and Science and Technology" it says
"Fiction, Comic and Science & Technology"
The "&" is being used to differentiate between items on a list, and items that are grouped together to form a single item.
Yes, the Oxford comma should almost always be used but, in this case it is not necessary to positively identify this as a list of 3 items, one of which is "Science & Technology"
This whole thread has been a wonderful example of people not understanding the meaning of words and phrases in the context in which they are being used, and complaining that it is a badly written question. Interesting to see people immediately jump to the conclusion that, something is wrong with the question, rather than their own understanding of what the question means.