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

Should I use a singular or plural verb with a collective noun?

Collective nouns, like team, family, class, group, and host, take a singular verb when the entity acts together and a plural verb when the individuals… Read More

What’s the difference between who and whom?

Use the pronoun who to refer to the subject of a verb and the pronoun whom to refer to a verb’s object or to the object of… Read More

How do I style examples of grammar principles?

Examples of grammar principles can be styled in various ways. They can be italicized, enclosed in quotation marks, or set as extracts, to name a… Read More

When should I use a semicolon before a coordinating conjunction?

Semicolons should be used before coordinating conjunctions—that is, terms such as and, or, and but joining independent clauses—when the clauses are long and have internal punctuation, as… Read More

How do I use singular they?

Singular they has two uses: specific and generic (“Pronouns”).  Specific Use The MLA advises writers to always follow the personal pronouns of individuals they write… Read More

Should media in reference to mass media be treated as a singular or plural noun?

The MLA follows Merriam-Webster, which states that media can be treated as singular or plural when the reference is to mass media (“Media”). So you may choose… Read More

How do you form the plural and the plural possessive of family names ending in s?

Form the plural of family names ending in s by adding es. For example, below are the plural forms of the names Myers, Daniels, Forlines, and Collins: Myerses Danielses… Read More

Does a pronoun in a quotation need to be integrated into the surrounding text?

No. In MLA style, when you are quoting a work, you should maintain the integrity of the original text whenever possible. If the pronoun in… Read More

When is it OK to start a sentence with a coordinating conjunction?

You can use a comma or a dash to connect these pairs of sentences, but writing them separately is not incorrect. It is looked upon… Read More