How to Avoid Bracketed Changes in Quotations
Writers sometimes use bracketed changes in quotations. But these changes are often unnecessary. Read More
Posts related to punctuation
Should I add a serial comma when I reproduce the title of a source?
If the title displayed on the title page of your source contains a serial comma, include the comma when you reproduce the title. For example,… Read More
In works-cited-list entries, why is there sometimes a period before the edition number and sometimes a comma?
According to the MLA format template, periods appear in a works-cited-list entry after the author, after the title, and at the end of each container… Read More
Rivers and Ladders and Bad Breaks, Oh My!
Checking page proofs involves identifying problems introduced in the typesetting process Read More
Should punctuation following a link be included in the linked text?
Publishers practices vary. On the MLA’s websites, when linked text is distinguished with color and underlining, the MLA does not link the punctuation—including quotation marks—before… Read More
How do I indicate that material in square brackets is part of the original text?
Normally, when you quote from a source, your reader is to assume that any styling, such as italics or punctuation in the quotation, is in… Read More
Should hyphens be used in an expression such as mid to late 1990s?
No. Since hyphens are not needed to prevent misreading, we recommend that they be omitted. Read more about how the MLA treats mid compounds. … Read More
How are commas used with place names?
Unless a place name is at the end of a sentence and followed by sentence-ending punctuation, whenever you list a city and a state or… Read More
“Parting Is Such Sweet Sorrow”: When a Comma Separates Subject and Verb
Learn when to separate a subject and verb with a comma Read More
Commas with Because: How to Make Your Meaning Clear
Learn when to insert a comma before a phrase or clause that begins with because Read More