Teaching the History of the English Language: An Interview
By Chris C. Palmer and Colette MooreThe study of the history of the English language (HEL) reaches back to the fifth century . . .
Published 23 April 2019
What is the MLA’s approach to the singular they?
In its publications, the MLA generally does not use the plural pronoun they (or their, them, and themselves) to refer to singular nouns. While the singular they is not uncommon in spoken English and in some informal contexts, in formal writing it is best to reword for agreement in number. In the following example their and they are mismatched with each student:
Each student is expected to choose the topic of their research paper before they take the midterm.
In our editorial practice,
Published 3 October 2018
However: Where to Place It?
By Jennifer RappaportClaire Kerhwald Cook notes that when however means “but” or “in spite of that,” the term “should follow the element that contrasts with something previously stated” . . .
Published 28 December 2017
How do I style the names of fictional characters?
Style the name of a fictional character just as you would the name of a person: capitalize the initial letter of each name. Do not put a fictional name in italics or in quotation marks:
In an interview, the writer Stephen King said that one of his favorite books features a character named Margaret Ridpath.
If the title of a work contains the name of a fictional character, style the name as a name and the title as a title (that is, in italics or quotation marks):
Emma Woodhouse is the heroine of Jane Austen’s novel Emma.
Willa Cather’s short story “Paul’s Case”
Published 22 March 2018
Do Like I Say, Not Like I Do
By Jennifer RappaportSome writers incorrectly use like in sentences, such as the title of this blog post, that require as. Other writers, wary of like, avoid the term even in sentences that require it . . .
Published 16 October 2017
A Problem with Problematize
By Erika SuffernThough some writers still consider it jargon, the word problematize has gained general acceptance, at least in academic writing. But make sure to use it correctly . . .
Published 8 June 2017
A Few Kinds of Redundancy
By Michael KandelLearn to recognize redundancy in your writing . . .
Published 31 July 2017
Adverbs to Avoid
By Erika SuffernI’m not going to tell you to cut adverbs out of your prose entirely. Instead, I’m going to review a particular category of adverbs that you can easily avoid and thereby tighten your prose . . .
Published 22 March 2017
The Danger of Deploy
By Michael KandelDeploy is not a good synonym for use, utilize, or employ, because it has a narrower sense and specific associations . . .
Published 8 March 2017
It is . . . that; or, How Not to Edit Jane Austen
By Barney LatimerThe formula it is . . . that is one of the most common rhetorical tics in academic writing. This formula also provides a great opportunity to edit for concision, since it can usually be removed easily from a sentence without changing the meaning . . .
Published 8 February 2017