Why are both a comma and and used to separate the names of coauthors in a works-cited-list entry?
The MLA Handbook notes that “[w]hen a source has two authors,” you should “[r]everse the first of the names” and “follow it with a comma and… Read More
Posts related to punctuation
Where do I place the colon that separates the title from a subtitle if the title ends with a quotation mark?
If the title ends with a quotation mark, insert the colon between the quotation mark and the subtitle. In the first example below, the title… Read More
If my works-cited-list entry has a title styled in quotation marks that ends in a question mark, should I insert a period after the question mark?
No. Omit the period, as shown in the example below: “How Do I Cite a Map?” The MLA Style Center, Modern Language Association of America,… Read More
How do you punctuate a question that quotes a question?
Do not use two question marks. Use only the question mark contained in the quotation: Which Shakespeare character asked, “Is this a dagger which I… Read More
How does the MLA handle orphaned words and widowed lines?
In our publications, we prefer to avoid an orphan—a word alone on a line or at the end of a paragraph—if the word, including any… Read More
Should commas be used around by and an author’s name after a title?
It depends. In the following example, commas are used to set off the by phrase because the phrase is not integral to the meaning of… Read More
Should individual tale titles in The Canterbury Tales be set in quotation marks?
Yes. Student writers should place the titles of individual tales in quotation marks. This follows from the MLA Handbook’s general guideline for the styling of titles:… Read More
If a person’s speech continues in the next paragraph, should the next paragraph begin with an open quotation mark?
Yes. When a speaker’s words in dialogue extend to more than one paragraph, use an opening quotation mark at the beginning of each paragraph. Use… Read More
How do I punctuate a greeting like “Hi, Anne” in an e-mail or other message?
How you punctuate an e-mail or other greeting depends on the level of formality and the structure of the message. In a formal message, one… Read More
Creating Vertical Lists in MLA Style
In some types of material, a vertical list may be preferable to a run-in list . . . Read More