MLA In-Text Citation Generator — Free MLA 9 Citation Maker

Paste a DOI, ISBN, URL or title

Need an MLA in-text citation? Our free generator builds parenthetical and narrative MLA 9 citations. Type the author and page number, or generate the full reference and the in-text is included.

An MLA in-text citation briefly points the reader to the matching works cited entry. It usually contains the author's last name and a page number, like (Smith 23). Get the in-text right and your reader can flip to the works cited and find the full source in seconds.

MLA in-text citation rules

The basic MLA in-text citation is (Author Page). Page numbers are required for direct quotes and recommended for paraphrases of a specific passage.

  • One author: (Smith 23) — no comma between author and page number
  • Two authors: (Smith and Doe 23) — use "and", not an ampersand
  • Three or more authors: (Smith et al. 23)
  • No author: ("Title" 23) — shortened title in quotation marks
  • Page number only: If the author is named in the sentence, put only the page number in parentheses: (23).

Parenthetical vs narrative in MLA

A parenthetical citation places the author and page in parentheses at the end of the sentence: Romantic poetry often values emotion (Smith 23). A narrative citation names the author in the sentence: Smith argues that romantic poetry values emotion (23).

MLA in-text for direct quotes

Direct quotes in MLA always include a page number. Short quotes (under 4 lines of prose / 3 lines of verse) use quotation marks around the quoted text. Long quotes (4+ lines prose / 3+ verse) are set as a block: indented 0.5 inch, no quotation marks, with the parenthetical citation after the final period.

When the page number does not exist

MLA's author-page pattern assumes a page to point at, and a great many sources have none. The rule is that you cite what the source itself provides and never manufacture a locator.

  • Web page with no pagination — the author's name alone: (Smith)
  • Source with numbered paragraphs — (Smith, par. 4), only if the source numbers them
  • Video or audio — a timestamp range: (Smith 00:04:12–00:05:03)
  • Verse drama or poetry — act, scene, and line or line numbers instead of pages
  • Never cite a PDF viewer's or e-reader's page number, which changes with the device

Frequently asked questions

Do I always need a page number in MLA in-text citations?

Yes for direct quotes. For paraphrases of a specific passage, include the page number. For general summaries of a source, the author alone is acceptable.

How do I cite three or more authors in MLA?

Use the first author's last name followed by "et al." — for example, (Smith et al. 23).

Is there a comma between the name and the page number?

No. MLA writes (Smith 12) with a space and no comma — the comma belongs to APA, and mixing them is the most common MLA slip.

How do I cite a source with no page numbers?

Use the author's name alone. Do not invent page numbers from a browser or PDF viewer, and only cite a paragraph number when the source itself numbers its paragraphs.

Is the MLA in-text citation generator free?

Yes. In-text citations and works cited entries are free, with no account required.