Is it OK to split an infinitive?

Yes, generally. An infinitive is the to form of a verb: to go, to be. Writers are often taught to avoid splitting infinitives—that is, to avoid placing a… Read More

How do I cite a map?

Maps appear as stand-alone print works, as images in books or websites, and as functional independent websites or parts of websites. As with any work,… Read More

Should sun, moon, and earth be capitalized?

When Merriam-Webster indicates that a term is “capitalized” or “usually capitalized,” the MLA capitalizes the term in its publications. When Merriam-Webster indicates that a term… Read More

When should you correct spelling in a title?

The spelling of a title should almost never be corrected, especially by students, even when the title seems to include an error. Sometimes the “error”… Read More

How should I refer in my prose to a film or TV show that has an original foreign language title and an international title?

When writing about a work known by more than one title, consider your audience. If you are writing for an audience that will know the… Read More

How do I cite multiple works by the same author from the same collection?

If you are citing multiple works by the same author from a collection that includes contributions by other authors, create a works-cited-list entry for each… Read More

Adjectives and Adverbs

Adjectives are words or groups of words that modify—that is, describe—nouns and pronouns. The senator addressed the huge crowd in a loud voice. In this… Read More

Should italics or quotation marks be used for a character’s internal thoughts?

Styling a character’s internal thoughts in italics or with quotation marks depends on whether you are quoting from a source that shows a character’s thoughts,… Read More

I’m citing a chat message. Do I include a URL if it’s not publicly resolvable?

No; it’s not likely to be useful to your reader. Read more on URLs and on citing chat messages. Read More

How do I cite a review of a product?

To cite a review of a product, such as a toaster, follow the examples for citing reviews provided in appendix 2 of the MLA Handbook. Read More