Q. How do I punctuate around internal ands? E.g., “We invited John Smith, Bob Jones and his daughter Jill, William, Doris, and Mable Johnston, Pat and Tim Roberts and their new baby, Jack and Elaine Miller’s mother, Judy Finch, and Tod and Deirdre Cook.” Admittedly, it is never quite this bad.
A. Use semicolons to indicate that some of the names are grouped: We invited John Smith; Bob Jones and his daughter Jill; William, Doris, and Mable Johnston; Pat and Tim Roberts and their new baby; Jack and Elaine Miller’s mother, Judy Finch; and Tod and Deirdre Cook.