Here’s where it gets real. In an MLA in-text citation, you’re usually doing the (Author, Page) thing. But with three-plus authors, you do this: (Smith et al. 42). See how clean that is?
Don’t write “Smith, Jones, and Thompson et al.” That’s a crime against punctuation. You only name the first author. Everyone else gets the Latin shrug. Et al. replaces them all.
Oh, and don’t forget the period after “al.” It’s “et al.” not “et al” (without the dot). That dot is the little cherry on top. It tells the world you’re using an abbreviation. Miss it, and you look like you forgot to finish your sentence. Rookie move.
What About the Works Cited Page?
Hold up—this is different! In the Works Cited list, MLA used to let you use “et al.” for many authors. But in the 9th edition, they changed the game. Now, if a source has two authors, you list both. If it has three or more, you can still use “et al.” after the first author’s name. But you can also list up to two authors if you want to be extra. Confusing? A little. But stick to “et al.” for three-plus, and you’re golden.
Mla Many Authors In Text Citation at Keith Flores blog
Example: Smith, John, et al. Cool Book Title. Publisher, 2026. See how “et al.” slides in after the first name? No comma before it? Actually, yes—there’s a comma before “et al.” in the Works Cited. But not in the in-text citation. Yeah, MLA loves tiny differences like that. It keeps us humble.
