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East Los Angeles College MLA Essay Packet English Composition Courses
Constructing your Essay in MLA Format
Your First and Last Name
Instructor’s Last Name
Title of the Class
Due Date (e.g. 4 January 2007)
Creative and Relevant Title (Centered)
The first line of the essay must be indented by pressing the “tab” button. Then, the rest of
the essay is “left flush.” This means that the line goes all the way to the margin, just like this.
You can use your imagination for the rest.
Make sure to press “enter” only once between paragraphs so that you conform to the
double-spacing requirement throughout your paper. Also, be sure to leave TWO SPACES after
“sentence-ending” punctuation. There is only ONE SPACE after a comma (,), semi-colon (;),
colon (:), or quotation mark (“”). Use ONE INCH margins on the top, bottom and sides of all
pages.
How to Make a Header
1. Open Microsoft Word
2. Left click “View” on the toolbar to bring up the pull down menu
3. Left click on “Header/Footer”
4. The Header will automatically appear
5. Click on “Align Right” button
6. Type your last name, space and left click on “Insert Page Number”
7. Left click “Close”
8. You are now ready to type your MLA Heading in the top left hand corner (not in the
Header)
East Los Angeles College MLA Essay Packet English Composition Courses
Introductions
A good introduction, generally speaking, does two things: it defines for the reader what
the essay (or other written work) is going to address, and it divides the topic of the essay into
parts that will be discussed. Remember: a good introduction leaves readers with a good idea of
what the essay is all about and how the writer intends to “tackle” his or her topic.
Different Ways to Approach Introductions
Begin with a quotation
Although this approach can be overused, it can be very effective when you have an
appropriate quotation. That quotation may relate directly to the subject or it may be only
indirectly related (and thus require further explanation). Do not force a quotation into this spot;
if an appropriate quotation is not available, select another method.
Ex. “Lolita, light of my life, fire of my loins. My sin, my soul” (11). These opening lines of
Lolita reveal the essence of Humbert Humbert’s complexity and compulsion, his saving grace
and his damning passion.
Begin with a concession
Start with a statement recognizing an opinion or approach different from the one you plan
to take in your essay.
Ex. Many critics have pointed to the unrelenting word games and puns throughout Lolita as
proof of Vladimir Nabakov’s major concern has always been language and art. Although these
subjects certainly loom in all his works, a close examination of Lolita reveals that morality – the
way people treat each other – is just as major a concern for him as language and art.
Begin with a paradox
In 1959, Vladimir Nabakov’s novel Lolita had been banned in several cities as
pornographic. Today, it is required reading not only in literature courses, but also in philosophy
courses that explore the nature of love. Since its publication, the novel’s subject has not been
recognized to be love, not lust; art, not perversion.
Begin with a short anecdote or narrative
When the original movie version of Lolita was released in the early 1960s, Sue Lyon, the
young actress who starred as the provocative “nymphet” of the title, was judged too young to be
allowed to see the movie in the theater.
Begin with an interesting fact or statistic
Joseph Conrad and Vladimir Nabakov – two acknowledged masters of English prose –
were not even native speakers of English. Conrad’s native tongue was Polish; Nabakov’s,
Russian.
East Los Angeles College MLA Essay Packet English Composition Courses
Begin with a question or several questions that will be answered in the paper
How could a book now acknowledged as a masterpiece not only of fiction but also of
English prose have been banned when it was published? How could a novel that dealt with love
and art be thought of as pornographic? Why would a society, so mindful of free speech as a
America, ban any book in the first place?
Begin with relevant background material
Background material should be presented concisely and should be clearly related to your
thesis. A rambling discussion of material only remotely related to your main point will confuse
and bore your readers.
Ex. Although he was born in Russia and lived for many years in England, Germany, and France
before coming to America in 1941, Vladimir Nabakov is now considered one of the great
American novelists of the 20th
century. This opinion, however, is not based solely on his
mastery of English prose. His novel, Lolita, has been said to have captured the essence of
American life in the 1950s better than any novel written by a writer born in this country.
Begin by stating a long-term effect or effects without immediately stating the cause
It caused howls of protest from the guardians of public morality in the 1950s. Indirectly
it helped bring about both artistic and personal freedom in the 1960s. Today, it is a recognized
classic of art and thought – Vladimir Nabakov’s Lolita.
Begin with an analogy
Like a hurricane that brings fear and panic along with its powerful winds, uprooting trees
and disrupting belief in an all-merciful God, so Lolita swept across America in the 1960s,
bringing fear and panic that pedophilia would be loose on the land. Instead, the novel, like a
hurricane, blew over trees of thought that were not deeply rooted in American experience,
exposing their gnarled premises while helping to clear the way for the artistic freedom of the
1960s.
Begin with a definition of a term that is important to your essay
Avoid simple dictionary definitions. Create an expanded definition that explains how the
term applies to your topic and essay.
Ex. Every few years the ugly charge of “pornography” is aimed at some novel or movie. Never
was the term more inappropriately used than in the case of Lolita, yet the taint of that word still
lingers in the minds of many when they hear the book’s title. What exactly is “pornography”
that it should still stir such feelings and be so hated? The problem, of course, is that no one can
agree on what pornography actually is. That it has something to do with sex is clear; beyond
that, there is a chaos of opinion. When the small-minded or special-interest definitions are
pushed aside, however, we are left with D. H. Lawrence’s provocative definition: pornography is
anything that “does dirt on sex.” By definition, Lolita is the opposite of pornography – it is a
celebration of sex and love.
East Los Angeles College MLA Essay Packet English Composition Courses
Words for the wise:
If readers don’t understand what the writer is up to, they won’t be very interested.
Make sure your lead-in introduces your thesis.
In general, the beginning should offer clues not only to the subject of the essay, but
also to the way it is to be treated, and the opening sentences should set the tone of the
discussion.
Both the writer and the reader must have a sense that the starting is logical and/or
natural. Don’t apologize or complain about your assertions.
East Los Angeles College MLA Essay Packet English Composition Courses
Titles and Conclusions Reference Sheet
A Great Title Will:
Attract the reader’s attention/interest (catchy, creative, and relevant)
Announce the tone of the essay
Suggest content
Not be underlined (should be in the same size and font as the rest of the essay)
Be capitalized according to MLA guidelines (first word capitalized, and then all
nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs are capitalized)
How to Write a Good Concluding Paragraph
A reemphasizes both the thesis and the essay’s major points
An evaluation of the importance of the essay’s subject
A call to action
A witticism that emphasizes or sums up the point of the essay
A quotation that emphasizes or sums up the point of the essay (should not come at
the end of the paragraph)
An image or description that lends finality to the essay
A rhetorical question that makes the reader think about the essay’s main point (a
rhetorical question is a question that is not meant to be answered; only to make
you think. The answer to the question should be obvious)
Avoiding Errors in Conclusions
Avoid a mechanical ending
Don’t introduce new points
Don’t tack on a conclusion
Don’t change your stance or point of view
Avoid trite expressions (overused phrases, slang, clichés, etc.)
East Los Angeles College MLA Essay Packet English Composition Courses
The Body Paragraphs
The Body of Your Essay
The body of the essay is composed of paragraphs that support the thesis
statement.
Each body paragraph usually presents and develops one main point in the
discussion of your thesis.
A new body paragraph signals another major point in the discussion of your
essay.
What is a Topic Sentence?
The main point of each body paragraph is expressed in a topic sentence. Topic sentences
guide each paragraph similar to how a thesis statement guides the essay.
The Purpose of a Topic Sentence
It supports the thesis by clearly stating a main point in t he discussion.
It announces what the paragraph will be about.
It controls the subject matter of the paragraph (keeps you focused on what you are
writing about)
Paragraph Development
The information in each paragraph must adequately explain, exemplify, define, or
in some other way support your topic sentence.
The paragraphs should be long enough to accomplish their purpose and short
enough to being interesting (prove your point in a well-developed paragraph).
A paragraph must stay focused to its announced subject; it must not drift away
into another direction.
Paragraph Coherence
All of the sentences and ideas in your paragraph need to flow together to make a clear,
logical point about your topic.
Ways of Achieving Coherence
A natural or easily recognized order
Transitional words and/or phrases
Repetition of key words
Substitution of pronouns for key nouns (i.e. he, she, they vs. names; it vs. subject)
Parallelism (similarity to structure in a pair or series of related words, phrases, or
clauses)
a. Parallelism of words
She tried to make her pastry fluffy, sweet, and delicate.
b. Parallelism of phrases
Singing a song or writing a poem is joyous.
c. Parallelism of clauses
Perch are inexpensive; cod are cheap; trout are abundant; but salmon are
best.
East Los Angeles College MLA Essay Packet English Composition Courses
The Thesis Statement
What is a Thesis Statement?
The thesis statement declares the main point of the controlling idea of your entire essay.
A Good Thesis Statement Will:
1. State the writer’s clearly defined opinion on a subject (i.e. what side are you on)
2. Assert one main idea that is easily recognized (it will let your reader know exactly
what you want to say)
3. Have something worthwhile to say
4. Be limited to fit the assignment (avoid broad topics)
5. Be clearly stated in specific terms (the more detailed the better!)
6. Often be located in the first or second paragraph of your essay
HINT: A great many clear and engaging thesis statements contain words like “because,”
“since,” “so,” “although,” “unless,” and “however.”
Common Errors in Thesis Statements
Don’t make your thesis merely an announcement of your subject matter or a
description of your intention.
Don’t clutter your thesis with such expressions as “in my opinion,” “I believe,”
and “in this essay I will argue that . . .” Also, avoid sounding vague or unsure by
always using active voice. Stay away from phrases such as “would be,” “seem,”
etc.
Don’t be unreasonable (for example, getting rid of all motor vehicles to decrease
air pollution is not a plausible solution)
Don’t merely state a fact (choose a topic that is arguable, and use facts in your
body paragraphs to support your claims)
Don’t express your thesis in the form of a question (the reader needs to know
what you think)
Examples of Good Thesis Statements
Because of its free services, well-trained tutors, and useful learning aids, the Study Skills
Center is an excellent place for first-year students seeking academic help.
Despite their high-tech special effects, today’s graphically violent horror movies do not
convey the creative use of cinematography or the emotional impact that was seen in the classic
horror films of the 1940s and 50s.
East Los Angeles College MLA Essay Packet English Composition Courses
Transitions and Transitional Phrases
Conjunctions: and, but, or, for, nor, neither, so, yet
Introduction to a Topic: as for, concerning, with regard to, with respect to, in terms of
To Summarize: in all, in a word, in brief, briefly, in other words, in short, in summary, that is,
finally, generally, in conclusion, on the whole, therefore, to sum up, to conclude, and so,
this shows
To Compare: by comparison, here again, in the same way, in a similar
manner, likewise, similarly, so too, as, also, equally, accordingly, moreover, as well, and
To Contrast: conversely, however, instead (of), in spite of that, anyhow, on the contrary, on the
other hand, otherwise, rather than, still, yet, nevertheless, in contrast, notwithstanding, in
spite of this, although, but, despite, even though
To Show Cause and Effect: accordingly, as a consequence, as a result, consequently, for this
reason, hence, it follows that, so/so that, then, therefore, thus, thereupon
To Explain: actually, admittedly, because, certainly, for example, in fact, indeed, really of
course, since, that is, for instance, namely, specifically, such as, to illustrate, in particular,
in this manner, thus
To Show Conviction: after all, at least, at the same time, apparently, even so, evidently,
certainly, conceivably, conclusively, doubtless, no doubt, perhaps, possibly, presumably,
probably, surely, undoubtedly
To Show Various Conditions: in this event, in these circumstances, this (that) being so, provided
that, in spite of, none/nevertheless, at the same time, even if, if, unless, otherwise,
although, even though, though, despite
To Add Information: add to this, again, also, besides, equally, further, furthermore, in addition,
moreover, once more, then too, too, yet again, yet another, and, as well, beyond that,
even, next, similarly
To Show Chronological Order: after that, afterwards, later, shortly, subsequently,
concurrently, in the meantime, in the meanwhile, now, simultaneously,
when/while/was, first, second, etc., formerly, earlier, previously, before that, then,
already, at last, at length, by that time, finally, during, immediately, next, soon, still, in
the interim, presently, at the same time, in the end, temporarily, thereafter
To Show Concession: admittedly, after all, all the same, at any rate, granted, however, in any
case, in spite of, it is true that, nevertheless, obviously, of course, still, to be sure
Location/Spatial: above, below, beyond, farther, further, here, hereby, opposite, there, to the
left/right, under
East Los Angeles College MLA Essay Packet English Composition Courses
GRAMMAR 101
English 101 is not Grammar 101. Please use this handout to help you improve your grammar
skills. If the following doesn’t help, by all means come and see me. Learning proper grammar is
a skill, so the more you practice writing the more you’ll improve.
"To" and "too," "affect" and "effect," . . .
These are errors which occur because two words sound similar or the same, but are spelled
differently and have different meanings. Some of the more common sound-a-like errors:
"To" and "too"
"Too" means "also" or "to a great extent." "To" means "in the direction of" or indicates an
infinitive. You go to the store; if someone else goes along with you, then she goes too. If fifteen
people go with you, that's far too many to take one car.
"Accept" and "except"
To "accept" something means to receive that thing; you accept a reward, you accept blame, you
accept a FedEx package. "Except" means "with the exclusion of" or "but;" for instance, "I work
every day except Saturday and Sunday." Just think: E is for Except, E is for Exclusion.
"Affect" and "effect"
These two words are entirely different parts of speech. "Affect" is a verb: "Your insults do not
affect me." "Effect" is a noun; that is, it is an actual thing. Slings and arrows have an effect on
me; they injure me, and the injuries are things. "You cannot affect me; your idle chatter has no
effect on me."
"Allowed" and "aloud"
"Allowed" means "permitted," as in "I am not allowed to go to the party tomorrow." "Aloud"
means "out loud," as in "Read the book aloud." The word "aloud" has the word "loud" in it,
which makes these two easy to remember.
"Advise" and "advice"
These two words are also different parts of speech. "Advise" is a verb; you advise someone to do
something. "As your lawyer, I advise you to keep your mouth shut." It's pronounced "advize."
"Advice" is something that you give someone, or someone gives you. "I did not follow my
lawyer's advice, and now I'm in trouble."
East Los Angeles College MLA Essay Packet English Composition Courses
"Discreet" and "discrete"
These words sound the same, but are completely unrelated. "Discreet" means "unobtrusive" or
"with good judgment," as in "If you are going to follow someone, it's best to be discreet." A
person who is discreet shows discretion, as in "Discretion is the better part of valor." "Discrete,"
on the other hand, means "made up of distinct parts," as in "A telephone has three discrete parts:
a handset, a base, and a cord."
"Lose" and "loose"
"Lose" is pronounced "looze." It means "to misplace," as in "I always lose my car keys," or "to
be defeated, as in "We will lose the game without Bob. "Loose" means "not tight" ("This shirt is
too loose on me"), or "not confined" ("the dog got loose when the door on his kennel broke").
"Site" and "sight" and "cite"
"Site" is a place. "Sight" has to do with vision. "We went to the crash site" means "the place
where the crash happened;" "the enemy is in sight" means "the enemy is visible." This is a web
site, not a web sight. "Cite," which is pronounced just like "site," is entirely different; it means to
quote, as in "Can you cite any studies that prove what you're saying?"
"Then" and "than"
"Then" refers to time; "We went to the store, then we went to the movies" or "When you finish
your homework, then you can go outside." On the other hand, "than" is a conjunction used in
comparisons: "He is older than she is," or "that is easier said than done."
"Its" and "it's," "you're" and "your," . . .
"You're" vs "your," "they're" vs "there" and "their"
If a pronoun has an apostrophe in it, it's a contraction. "You're" means "you are," always. "Your"
means "belonging to you."
The same is true of "they're" and "their." "They're" has an apostrophe; it is a contraction. It
means "they are." "Their" means "belonging to them." "There" means "somwhere that is not
here."
"Its" and "it's"
This is probably the single most common grammatical mistake on earth. People get confused
about this one because they remember a rule from their childhood days: possessive nouns get an
apostrophe. "That is Bob's car." "That is the horse's barn."
East Los Angeles College MLA Essay Packet English Composition Courses
Problem is, the word "it" is not a noun. It's a pronoun! Pronouns never, ever, ever get an
apostrophe to indicate possession. Think about it: You don't say "mi'ne" or "hi's" or "her's"--and
you don't say "your's" or "it's" to indicate possession.
"It's" means "it is" or "it has." If you get confused, take out "it's" and put in "it is." If the
sentence makes no sense, don't use the apostrophe.
"A group of people is going to the movies," "a bunch of marbles is on the floor" . . .
The subject of a sentence and the verb of a sentence must agree with one another: "A person is
smart; people are dumb, stupid panicky animals." This can get a little complicated, though, when
there are prepositional phrases between the subject and the verb: "A bunch of people spells
trouble."
The subject of a sentence is never found in a prepositional phrase; if a noun appears after a word
like of, the one thing you can be sure of is that it's not the subject. Collective nouns such as
"group" and "bunch" and "pile" are singular, not plural; the plural versions are groups, bunches,
and piles. So you would say "A group is going" or "Two groups are going."
When a prepositional phrase follows the subject, the verb must still agree with the subject, not
the prepositional phrase. So you would say "A group of people is going to the movies," not "a
group of people are going to the movies"--the phrase 'of people' is a prepositional phrase, and is
not the subject of the sentence.
"I couldn't care less," "nothing fazes me," . . .
These are errors which occur because two words may be confused, or because someone has
misstated a common expression and hasn't really thought about it. Some of these may involve
soundalike errors as well. For example:
It's "A lot," never "alot."
"A lot" is two words, as in "We have a lot of food in the kitchen" or "Florida is being hammered
by a lot of hurricanes this season." It means "A large quantity." You would never say "abunch;"
it's two words--"a bunch." Same thing.
It's "All right," never "alright."
"All right" means "okay." Literally, "all is right." It's not one word.
It's "Lo and behold," not "low and behold."
The word "lo!" is a Middle English expression of surprise. "Lo and behold" is kind of the
equivalent of saying "Well, hey, look at that!"
East Los Angeles College MLA Essay Packet English Composition Courses
It's "Nothing fazes me," not "nothing phases me."
To "faze" is to disturb or frighten. "She was unfazed" means "she retained her composure." "He
was unphased" means "he was not made of a number of waveforms that were in
synchronization." Big difference, folks.
"I couldn't care less," not "I could care less."
"I could care less" means "I do care." It would be possible for me to care less, because I already
care. If I do not care at all--if the amount I care about something is zero--then it would be
impossible for me to care any less, because I can't care about something less than a zero
amount...I couldn't care less.
It's "etc," not "ect."
"Etc" is an abbreviation for "et cetera" (two words), which is Latin for "and so forth." "Et" means
"and," which is why "etc" is sometimes written "&c". "Etc" is correct. "&c" is correct but
archaic. "Ect" is not, never has been, and never will be correct.
The abbreviations "ie" and "eg" do not mean the same thing!
You use "ie" when you mean "in other words." It's Latin for "id est," which means "that is." For
example: "He is a businessman; ie, he makes his money by operating a business." On the other
hand, "eg" is used to mean "for example." It's Latin for "exempli gratia." "I do not like spectator
sports--eg, football and baseball."
For example: eg. In other words: ie.
"Insure" and "ensure" do not mean the same thing either!
"Ensure" means "to make sure of." Double-check your math on your tax return to ensure you
don't get an embarrassing phone call from the IRS. "Insure," on the other hand, means "to
provide insurance for," you insure your house in order to ensure that you won't be financially
ruined if it burns down.
To be caught "between the devil and the deep blue sea" does not mean "between two
unattractive options."
It means "to be in a position where you have no room to manuver." The 'devil' on a wooden
sailing ship is the main spar of the ship--a brace that runs the whole length of the ship from front
to back, around which the frame of the ship is built. There is a very narrow space--typically less
than 3' high--between a ship's devil and the bottom of the hull; this was sometimes the space
where the most lowly members of a ship's crew slept--"between the devil and the deep blue sea."
It's a very, very tiny space.
East Los Angeles College MLA Essay Packet English Composition Courses
"You have piqued my interest," not "you have peaked my interest" or "you have peeked
my interest."
The word "pique" (pronounced like "peek") means "to excite or arouse." "You have piqued my
interest" means "you have aroused my interest"--that is, I wasn't interested before, but now I am.
A group is a "clique," not a "click"
"Clique" is pronounced like "click." However, the meaning is completely different. "Clique" was
originally a French word; hence the weird spelling.
Something that's stylish is "chic," not "sheik"
"Chic" is another confusing French import. It's pronounced like "sheik" but means "elegant,
stylish, or sophisticated."
It's "whet my appetite," not "wet my appetite."
"Whet" means "sharpen." A tool that sharpens a knife is called a "whetstone." To "whet" one's
appetite means to sharpen one's appetite--"That appetizer really whetted my appetite!" To "wet"
one's appetite means to make it soggy.
"Data" and "datum," "phenomena" and "phenomenon," . . .
English has a long history of borrowing words from other languages--many of which don't
follow standard English rules for pluralization. As a result, there are many English words which
are normally plural, but don't look plural because they don't end in the letter S. A partial list:
Singular Plural
Datum Data
Phenomenon Phenomena
Stimulus Stimuli
Criterion Criteria
Die Dice
Graffito Graffiti
Medium Media
Stratum Strata
Nucleus Nuclei
Crisis Crises
Syllabus Syllabi
Octopus Octopi
So for example, you would never properly say "The data shows I'm right" (the correct form is
"The data show I'm right"), and you would never properly say "The media is becoming
increasingly right-wing" (but rather "The media are becoming increasingly right-wing").
East Los Angeles College MLA Essay Packet English Composition Courses
"Media" in this sense means "all the media used to distribute information--eg, newspapers,
television, and radio."
Debris is the only English noun with no plural.
An alumnus is a graduate of a school. When you're talking about a group of graduates, you use
alumni if all the graduates are male or if there's a mix of male and female graduates; if all the
graduates are female, the proper form is alumnae.
The plural of mouse is mice only if you're talking about rodents. If you're talking about a
computer mouse, the accepted plural is mouses.
The Middle English root of "ruthless" is "ruthe," meaning "compassion." It has survived in the
Modern English ruthless, but its opposite, ruthful ("compassionate") is considered archaic and
is rarely used.
East Los Angeles College MLA Essay Packet English Composition Courses
Everybody Loves Commas! NOT!
Here are seven easy steps to becoming a comma expert. If you master this information you can
charge your friends whenever they ask you, “Did I put the comma in the right place?”
Commas, Commas, and More Commas
Commas help your reader figure out which words go together in a sentence and which parts of
your sentences are most important. Using commas incorrectly may confuse the reader, signal
ignorance of writing rules, or indicate carelessness. Although using commas may have seemed
mysterious before, using them correctly is easy if you follow a few guidelines and have the
patience to do so.
Beware of popular myths of comma usage:
A really long sentence may be perfectly correct without commas. The length of a
sentence does not determine whether or not you need a comma.
Where you pause or breathe in a sentence does not reliably indicate where a comma
belongs. Different readers pause or breathe in different places.
You can use the following procedures to help test your writing for common comma errors. Read
through an essay you have written and look at each comma. If none of the five situations
described in this handout apply, you probably don’t need one at all.
You probably already know at least one of the following guidelines and just have to practice the
others. These guidelines are basically all you need to know; if you learn them once, you’re set
for all but the most unusual situations.
1. Introductory Bits (Small-Medium-Large)
Setting off introductory words, phrases, or clauses with a comma lets the reader know that the
main subject and main verb of the sentence come later. There are basically three kinds of
introductory bits: small, medium, and large ones.
There are small (just one word) introductory bits:
Generally, extraterrestrials are friendly and helpful.
Moreover, some will knit booties for you if you ask nicely.
There are medium introductory bits (often these are two- to three-word prepositional phrases):
In fact, Godzilla is just a misunderstood teen lizard of giant proportions.
On the other hand, Bert and Ernie are known to have worked closely with Flipper.
East Los Angeles College MLA Essay Packet English Composition Courses
There are large introductory bits(more than 3 words). You can often spot these by looking for
key words/groups such as although, if, as, in order to, and when:
If you discover that you feel nauseated, then you know you’ve tried my Clam Surprise.
As far as I am concerned, it is the best dish for dispatching unwanted guests.
2. FANBOYS
FANBOYS is a handy mnemonic device for remembering the coordinating conjunctions: For,
And, Nor, But, Or, Yet, So. You should always have a comma before FANBOYS that join two
complete thoughts (with two subjects and two verbs).
If you do not have two subjects and two verbs separated by the FANBOYS, you do not need to
insert the comma before the FANBOYS. In other words, if the second grouping of words isn’t a
complete thought, don’t use a comma:
3. The Dreaded Comma Splice
If you don’t have FANBOYS between the two complete and separate thoughts, using a comma
alone causes a "comma splice" or "fused sentence" (some instructors may call it a run-on). Some
readers (especially professors) will think of this as a serious error.
BAD: My hamster loved to play, I gave him a hula-hoop.
ALSO BAD: You wore a lovely hat, it was your only defense.
To fix these comma splices, you can do one of three things: just add FANBOYS, change the
comma to a semicolon, or make each clause a separate sentence.
GOOD: You wore a lovely hat, for it was your only defense.
ALSO GOOD: You wore a lovely hat; it was your only defense.
East Los Angeles College MLA Essay Packet English Composition Courses
STILL GOOD: You wore a lovely hat. It was your only defense.
4. FANBOY Fakers
However, therefore, moreover, and other words like them are not FANBOYS (they are called
conjunctive adverbs). They are really small introductory phrases that begin the second complete
thought in a long sentence. When you want to use one of these words in the middle of a sentence,
check to see if you have a complete thought on both sides of the "conjunctive adverb". If you do,
then you need a semi-colon after the first complete thought and a comma after the small
introductory phrase in the second complete thought.
Another option is to break the two parts of the long sentence into two separate sentences.
5. X,Y, and Z
Put commas between items in a list. When giving a short and simple list of things in a sentence,
the last comma (right before the conjunction–usually and or or) is optional, but it is never wrong.
If the items in the list are longer and more complicated, you should always place a final comma
before the conjunction.
EITHER: You can buy life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness in Los Angeles.
OR: You can buy life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness in Los Angeles.
BUT ALWAYS: A good student listens to his teachers without yawning, reads once in a while,
and writes papers before they are due.
East Los Angeles College MLA Essay Packet English Composition Courses
6. Describers
If you have two or more adjectives (words that describe) that are not joined by a conjunction
(usually and) and both/all adjectives modify the same word, put a comma between them.
He was a bashful, dopey, sleepy dwarf.
The frothy, radiant princess kissed the putrid, vile frog.
7. Interrupters
Two commas can be used to set off additional information that appears within the sentence but is
separate from the primary subject and verb of the sentence. These commas help your reader
figure out your main point by telling him or her that the words within the commas are not
necessary to understand the rest of the sentence. In other words, you should be able to take out
the section framed by commas and still have a complete and clear sentence.
Bob Mills, a sophomore from Raleigh, was the only North Carolina native at the Japanese food
festival in Cary.
Aaron thought he could see the future, not the past, in the wrinkles on his skin.
If you still have further questions, please feel free
to ask during class or conferences.