MLA formating
In MLA format, the student's name goes in the top left corner of the first page.
Yes.
Is this in-text citation correct? → (Johnson 17)
Yes. This is the correct MLA format: author's last name followed by the page number, no comma.
Give a more sophisticated synonym for the word: “shows”
demonstrates, reveals, illustrates, indicates, suggests, highlights
Social media platforms have a significant impact on the mental health of teenagers. According to a 2024 report by the U.S. Surgeon General, teenagers who spend more than three hours per day on social media are twice as likely to experience symptoms of anxiety and depression.
This statistic is significant because it reveals that excessive social media use is not merely a distraction—it poses a measurable psychological risk to adolescents. The fact that a doubling of mental health symptoms is linked to just three hours of daily use suggests that platforms designed for connection may actually be deepening isolation and emotional instability among the very users they target.
In MLA format, the title of your essay should be bolded and centered.
No. The title should be centered but NOT bolded, underlined, or italicized
Is this in-text citation correct? → (Smith, 8)
No. There should be NO comma between the author's name and the page number. Correct format: (Smith 8)
Give a more sophisticated synonym for the word: “important”
significant, critical, essential, crucial, pivotal, consequential
Climate change is increasingly affecting communities across the United States. In 2024, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reported that the United States experienced 28 separate billion-dollar weather disasters, the highest number ever recorded in a single year.
This record-breaking number of disasters illustrates that climate change is no longer a distant or abstract threat but is actively disrupting lives and economies across the country. The sheer financial and human cost of 28 billion-dollar events in a single year suggests that the pace of climate change has accelerated beyond what current infrastructure and policy are equipped to handle, making urgent systemic action not just advisable but necessary.
In MLA format, the date in the header is written as Month Day, Year (e.g., October 21, 2026).
No. MLA format uses Day Month Year with no comma (e.g., 21 October 2026).
Is this in-text citation correct? → (Madison p. 23)
No. “p.” should not be included. Correct format: (Madison 23)
Give a more sophisticated synonym for the word: “says”
argues, asserts, contends, claims, states, maintains, emphasizes
Artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming the modern workforce. A 2025 report by the McKinsey Global Institute estimated that up to 30% of current work tasks in the United States could be automated by AI within the next decade.
This projection is striking because it suggests that AI's impact on employment will not be limited to a single industry but it will reshape the nature of work itself across nearly every sector. The displacement of nearly a third of current tasks raises urgent questions about how workers will adapt, what new skills will be required, and whether governments and institutions are moving quickly enough to prepare the workforce for a fundamentally different economic landscape.
In MLA format, the Works Cited page begins on a new page at the end of the essay.
Yes
Is this in-text citation correct? → Williams argues that repeated injuries lead to long-term damage. (4)
No. When the author is named in the sentence, the page number in parentheses should come before the period, not after. Correct: Williams argues that repeated injuries lead to long-term damage (4).
Give a more sophisticated synonym for the word: “bad”
detrimental, harmful, adverse, damaging, deleterious, devastating
Gun violence remains one of the most pressing public health crises in the United States. According to the Gun Violence Archive, more than 45,000 Americans died from gun-related injuries in 2023, making it one of the leading causes of death for people under the age of 25.”
The fact that gun violence ranks among the leading causes of death for young Americans reveals that this is not simply a political issue. It is a generational crisis that is cutting short the lives of the country's youngest citizens at an alarming rate. This data challenges the notion that gun violence is an isolated or inevitable problem, and instead demands that policymakers, communities, and institutions treat it with the same urgency and resources devoted to other public health emergencies.
In MLA format, the page number appears in the bottom right corner of each page.
No. The page number appears in the top right corner, preceded by the student's last name (e.g., Thompson 1).
Is this in-text citation correct? → (Chen, Rivera, and Patel 22)
No. When there are three or more authors, only the first author's last name is used, followed by “et al.” Correct format: (Chen et al. 22)
Give a more sophisticated synonym for the word: “good”
beneficial, advantageous, effective, favorable, constructive, commendable
Student loan debt is creating long-term financial hardship for millions of Americans. The Federal Reserve reported in 2024 that Americans collectively hold over $1.7 trillion in student loan debt, with the average borrower owing approximately $37,000 upon graduation.
These figures reveal that the cost of higher education has become a financial burden that follows graduates well beyond their college years, shaping major life decisions such as homeownership, family planning, and career choices. The scale of $1.7 trillion in collective debt suggests that student loans are no longer just a personal financial challenge but represent a structural economic problem that limits upward mobility and raises fundamental questions about whether the current model of funding higher education is sustainable or equitable.