When a Preposition Wrongly Replaces a Conjunction
Writers sometimes wrongly use a preposition to join the nouns in a compound subject, as in this example: The bride as well as the groom drive off . . .Published 14 September 2020
If an author’s name in my source is in all capital letters, how should I style it in my paper?
In prose and works-cited-list entries, the first and last names of authors should begin with a capital letter. All other letters should be lowercase. Let' . . .Published 3 September 2020
“Parting Is Such Sweet Sorrow”: When a Comma Separates Subject and Verb
Writers may have been taught to add a comma to a sentence when it seems natural to have a pause. Such commas are rhetorical, meaning that they " . . .Published 25 August 2020
Commas with Because: How to Make Your Meaning Clear
Determining when to insert a comma before a phrase or clause that begins with because requires thoughtful analysis. In this post, I'll walk you . . .Published 19 August 2020
When should I use a semicolon before a coordinating conjunction?
Semicolons should be used before coordinating conjunctions—that is, terms such as and, or, and but joining independent clauses—when the . . .Published 4 August 2020
How to Use (Not Abuse) Parentheses
Like some other punctuation marks, parentheses are used in prose to set apart some text in a sentence, such as an explanation, observation, aside, or digression. Text . . .Published 30 June 2020
Accent Marks in Microsoft Word
The series Microsoft Word and MLA Style shows writers how to use Word to make their essays conform to MLA style guidelines . . .Published 29 June 2020
Track Changes in Microsoft Word
The series Microsoft Word and MLA Style shows writers how to use Word to make their essays conform to MLA style guidelines . . .Published 25 June 2020
Dashes in MLA Style and Microsoft Word
The series Microsoft Word and MLA Style shows writers how to use Word to make their essays conform to MLA style guidelines . . .Published 24 June 2020
AutoCorrect, Spell-Check, and Style Settings in Microsoft Word
The series Microsoft Word and MLA Style shows writers how to use Word to make their essays conform to MLA style guidelines . . .Published 23 June 2020