How do I punctuate quoted dialogue from a novel?
How you punctuate quoted dialogue from a novel will depend on what you are quoting and how you are quoting it. See the three most… Read More
Posts related to punctuation
Should a hyphen or an en dash be used for inclusive page ranges?
In the MLA Handbook and examples of student writing on The MLA Style Center, hyphens are used in page ranges since hyphens may be easier for students… Read More
If I am quoting the first few words of one line of poetry and the last few words of the next line of poetry, should I use two sets of ellipses with a slash between them?
Yes. Clarity is worth the trouble of more punctuation. Let’s say you quote the following two lines of poetry: He had forty-two boxes, all carefully packed,… Read More
Colons: How to Use Them
Like a semicolon, a colon can connect two independent clauses . . . Read More
Apostrophes: One Mark, Three Ways
Apostrophes can be used in three ways . . . Read More
From the Vault: Hyphens and En Dashes the MLA Way
Get tips on using en dashes and hyphens from our previously unpublished style guidelines . . . Read More
Ellipsis at the Beginning of a Quotation
Read these three tips for effectively quoting from sources . . . Read More
A Dash of Sense
Get tips on how to avoid dashes run amok . . . Read More
There’s Nothing Wrong with a Full Stop
Many writers feel that the longer the sentence, the more elegant the style . . . Read More
Serial Commas and Serial Semicolons
Perhaps no mark of punctuation ruffles feathers more than the serial comma Read More