Should I use hyphens in compounds with adverbs ending in ly?
No. Since a compound formed by an adverb ending in ly cannot be misread, no hyphen is used: She had a politically transformative experience.
Published 16 August 2018
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If a sentence ends with an abbreviation followed by a period, should I insert another period to mark the end of the sentence?
No. A sentence should never have two periods at the end. If a sentence ends with an abbreviation followed by a period, do not add an additional period: She explained the rules for periods, commas, semicolons, etc.
Published 12 July 2018
If a title includes a period at the end, do I include the period?
Yes. If a title ends with a punctuation mark, include the mark: The Band Perry opened their set with the song “Done.,” the second track on their album Pioneer. For examples of titles ending in punctuation marks other than a period, see our previous post.
Published 28 June 2018
Are names of groups like African American and Native American ever hyphened in MLA style?
In MLA style, if each part of the name of an ethnic or national group is an independent term, no hyphen is used, regardless of whether the name appears as a noun or an adjective: Many Native Americans live in California. I am studying African American literature. If the name includes a combining form, however, . . .
Published 5 June 2018
If I am writing a paper in a foreign language and my works-cited list contains works in more than one language, should labels such as “edited by” be given in the foreign language or in English? Also, should the works-cited-list entry be punctuated according to the rules of the foreign language?
The language that you use to describe elements in your works-cited list should be the language that your paper is written in, which should also determine the punctuation used. In other words, if your paper is in Spanish but you cite a work published in English in the works-cited list, use “editado por” instead of . . .
Published 17 May 2018
In a works-cited-list entry, if a URL ends with a question mark, should a period follow?
If the last element of a works-cited-list entry is a URL ending in a question mark, a period should follow the URL: Krugman, Paul. “Bubble, Bubble, Fraud and Trouble.” The New York Times, 29 Jan. 2018, www.nytimes.com/2018/01/29/opinion/bitcoin-bubble-fraud.html?. Note, however, that the rule differs for the title of a work ending in a question mark or exclamation . . .
Published 11 May 2018
How should I style ellipses in MLA style?
The MLA Handbook explains that you should “[i]dentify an omission within a sentence by using three periods with a space before each and a space after the last ( . . . )” (81). Note, however, that if you use Microsoft Word’s ellipsis character, the periods will not be spaced, and if you try to insert . . .
Published 10 May 2018
How do I format and document epigraphs in MLA style?
Epigraphs establish tone, highlight allusions, provide commentary, and mark transitions between parts of a work. Primarily ornamental, they are not discussed subsequently in the text. Design Although publishers vary in how they style epigraphs, one commonality is that epigraphs are set apart from the main text by being placed at the start of a book, . . .
Published 7 May 2018
Is a comma needed after a short introductory phrase?
No. For more on when to include and omit commas, see our post.
Published 28 March 2018
Can you use between or from and to with a number range expressed using numerals and an en dash?
You can express a number range using words (“from . . . to”): The party will take place from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Or you can use an en dash: The party will take place 6 p.m.–10 p.m. But you cannot combine words (“from”) and an en dash to convey a range: The party will take place from . . .
Published 14 March 2018