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How to use the (and/or) construct with more than 3 words?



 
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How to use the (and/or) construct with more than 3 words? #1 (permalink) Wed Nov 11, 2009 19:57 pm   How to use the (and/or) construct with more than 3 words?
 

I want to say that something is composed of water and/or sugar and/or salt.

Is it correct to use the comma in this situation (imagine that there were more than 3 ingredients):

The sun is composed of water, sugar and/or salt.

Can the comma be used? If not, is there any other way to say this, without using the (and/or) to separate all the ingredients?

Regards.
Arly
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How to use the (and/or) construct with more than 3 words? #2 (permalink) Wed Nov 11, 2009 20:42 pm   How to use the (and/or) construct with more than 3 words?
 

Yes, I'd say it is clear; but "and/or" is a bit ugly: you would not use it in a polished text, only in a technical document or something like that.
You could rephrase it thus: "the sun is composed of one or more of [the following / these] materials: water, sugar, salt".
Cerberus™
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How to use the (and/or) construct with more than 3 words? #3 (permalink) Wed Nov 11, 2009 23:41 pm   How to use the (and/or) construct with more than 3 words?
 

Cerberus™ wrote:
"and/or" is a bit ugly: you would not use it in a polished text, only in a technical document or something like that.


Thanks for the answer. Do you think and/or could be use in a MSc dissertation thesis?
Arly
I'm new here and I like it ;-)


Joined: 06 Nov 2009
Posts: 21

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