Our school’s band is called the Marching Knights—is it a singular or plural noun?
Many collective nouns can be either singular or plural, depending on how they are used. As Claire Kehrwald Cook writes, “[I]f the collective noun denotes… Read More
Posts related to writing tips
Should sun, moon, and earth be capitalized?
When Merriam-Webster indicates that a term is “capitalized” or “usually capitalized,” the MLA capitalizes the term in its publications. When Merriam-Webster indicates that a term… Read More
Critique versus Criticize
Claire Kehrwald Cook noted that critique as a verb “has not yet won full acceptance” Read More
Liberate Those Verbs!
Some phrases in English lengthen a sentence while adding nothing to its meaning . . . Read More
Do I use a comma before Jr. and Sr.? What about names followed by roman numerals?
In the main text of your written work, use a suffix that is an essential part of the name—like Jr. or a roman numeral—when you… Read More
How many spaces should I leave after a period?
Leave one space after a period or other concluding punctuation mark, unless your instructor prefers two spaces. Whichever spacing you choose, be sure to use… Read More
Is a new edition of the MLA Style Manual going to be published?
No. The MLA Style Manual will be taken out of print. The system of documentation explained in the eighth edition of the MLA Handbook is… Read More
Dictionary 101
Beware the spelling checker! Here's what you need to know about using a dictionary . . . Read More
A Regrettable Shortcut: The Pseudo Conjunction With
The use of with as a pseudo conjunction weakens prose . . . Read More