You are viewing all posts tagged language usage
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,
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
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”
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
Though 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 . . .
By Michael KandelLearn to recognize redundancy in your writing . . .
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 . . .
By Michael KandelDeploy is not a good synonym for use, utilize, or employ, because it has a narrower sense and specific associations . . .
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
Authorities disagree about the name Presidents’ Day . . .
Published 19 February 2018
