Such As It Is

Use a comma before “such as” and “including” when the words that follow are an aside. “We counsel clients in several communications areas, such as PR, advertising, and word-of-mouth marketing.” (The first part of that could stand alone as a logical sentence: “We counsel clients in several communications areas.”) No comma is used before “such as” or “including” when a sentence wouldn’t make sense without the words that follow. In other words, the “such as” or “including” phrase is essential to the idea. “Mushrooms such as the truffe blanche d'Alba are too expensive to be used daily.” Without the “such as” phrase the remaining sentence – “Mushrooms are too expensive to use daily” – doesn’t have the same meaning since not all mushrooms are too expensive to use daily, but in this case, only the truffe blanche d'Alba. (The Italian composer Rossini - "Barber of Seville," etc. - called white truffles "the Mozart of the mushroom world." Mozart, apparently, doesn't come cheap.) Commas are not, not, not used after “such as” or “including.”  Right: “Esteban visited several countries in South America, including Argentina, Uruguay, and Peru.” Wrong: “Esteban visited several countries in South America, including, Argentina, Uruguay, and Peru.”

Note: “Including” and “include” are often misused – use them when listing some of a particular thing but not all of it. “Spaniel breeds include English Springer and Sussex.” You needn't end a sentence like this with "among others" or "and more" because using "include" implies that you're not providing a complete list. When listing all of a particular thing, use a word like “are” or “comprise” or a phrase such as “composed of.” “The spaniel breeds are American Cocker, American Water, Clumber, Cocker, English Springer, Field, Irish Water, Sussex, and Welsh Springer.”