100+ MLA Book Quote Examples: Perfect Copywriting for Students & Writers

According to Smith, "the sky changes color at dawn" (45).

“Language shapes thought,” argues Lee (78).

She whispered, “I’ll never leave you” (Brown 102).

“Truth is stranger than fiction” (Doe 33).

As Johnson notes, “democracy thrives on participation” (56).

“Hope is the thing with feathers” (Dickinson 12).

“The world is too much with us” (Wordsworth 8).

“All happy families are alike” (Tolstoy 1).

“It was the best of times” (Dickens 5).

“Call me Ishmael” (Melville 3).

“In three words I can sum up everything” (Fitzgerald 99).

“We few, we happy few” (Shakespeare 67).

When introducing long passages, indent the entire quote one inch from the left margin:

Scholars emphasize depth over brevity:   Long quotations must be set off from the rest of the text.   They require a full blank line before and after.   Always include the author and page number after punctuation (Smith 88).

As Orwell wrote:   All animals are equal,   but some animals are more equal than others (120).

Consider this reflection:   Time moves fast, and memories fade.   Yet certain moments stay etched in mind.   Like the day the rain stopped falling (Lee 55).

Johnson explains:   The system was flawed from the beginning.   Leaders ignored warnings.   Citizens paid the price (Johnson 101).

From historical analysis:   Revolutions begin quietly.   A whisper grows into a roar.   Change becomes inevitable (Brown 203).

Poetic form may also be blocked:   Do not go gentle into that good night,   Old age should burn and rave at close of day;   Rage, rage against the dying of the light (Thomas 15).

A character reflects:   I had loved her for years.   But she never saw me.   Only the mask I wore (Doe 77).

Philosophers often require block formatting:   Man is born free,   and everywhere he is in chains (Rousseau 44).

In narrative studies:   Stories shape identity.   They connect generations.   They preserve culture (Miller 66).

Scientific observations may also be long:   The data showed a consistent upward trend.   No outliers were detected.   Conclusion: climate change accelerates (Green 91).

Literary critics note:   Modernism rejected tradition.   It embraced fragmentation.   And redefined narrative structure (White 112).

Blake writes, “Tyger Tyger, burning bright” (22).

“I wandered lonely as a cloud” (Wordsworth 10).

As Frost says, “Two roads diverged in a yellow wood” (15).

“Because I could not stop for Death” (Dickinson 34).

“My love is like a red, red rose” (Burns 7).

“Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?” (Shakespeare 18).

Whitman declares, “I celebrate myself, and sing myself” (5).

“The fog comes on little cat feet” (Sandburg 3).

“I know why the caged bird sings” (Angelou 41).

“Love is not love which alters when it alteration finds” (Shakespeare 20).

“Nothing gold can stay” (Frost 19).

“I have measured out my life with coffee spoons” (Eliot 25).

When citing two or more lines of poetry, use a forward slash: “Hold fast to dreams / For if dreams die” (Hughes 12).

“I, being born a woman and distressed / By all the needs and notions” (Millay 33).

“Do not ask what the world needs. / Ask what makes you come alive” (Buechner 55).

“The woods are lovely, dark and deep, / But I have promises to keep” (Frost 20).

“I am large, I contain multitudes” (Whitman 44).

“One crowded hour of glorious life / Is worth an age without a name” (Campbell 17).

“Water, water, every where, / Nor any drop to drink” (Coleridge 23).

“Fire and ice, desire and hate, / Shape the fate of mortal man” (Lowell 30).

“I think that I shall never see / A poem lovely as a tree” (Kilmer 6).

“Let America be America again. / Let it be the dream it used to be” (Hughes 88).

“If you can keep your head when all about you / Are losing theirs” (Kipling 11).

“Beauty is truth, truth beauty,—that is all / Ye know on earth, and all ye need to know” (Keats 49).

Smith suggests that morning light affects mood (45).

Lee believes language fundamentally shapes human perception (78).

Brown implies lasting commitment through quiet promises (102).

Doe argues reality often surpasses imagination (33).

Johnson emphasizes civic engagement in democratic health (56).

Dickinson describes hope as enduring and resilient (12).

Wordsworth critiques materialism's grip on society (8).

Tolstoy opens with a philosophical observation about family (1).

Dickens begins with a paradox about historical eras (5).

Melville introduces his narrator with a simple declaration (3).

Fitzgerald condenses life wisdom into minimal words (99).

Shakespeare celebrates unity among soldiers (67).

Hamlet asks, “To be, or not to be: that is the question” (Shakespeare 3.1.56).

Lady Macbeth urges, “Unsex me here” (Shakespeare 1.5.40).

Othello laments, “I kissed thee ere I killed thee” (Shakespeare 5.2.350).

King Lear cries, “How sharper than a serpent’s tooth” (Shakespeare 1.4.288).

Romeo exclaims, “Juliet is the sun” (Shakespeare 2.2.3).

Iago warns, “Men should be what they seem” (Shakespeare 3.3.129).

Prospero commands, “Ye elves of hills, brooks, standing lakes” (Shakespeare 5.1.33).

Puck boasts, “I am that merry wanderer of the night” (Shakespeare 2.1.40).

Macduff mourns, “All my pretty ones?” (Shakespeare 4.3.217).

Cordelia states, “I cannot heave my heart into my mouth” (Shakespeare 1.1.91).

Brutus reasons, “Not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved Rome more” (Shakespeare 3.2.21).

Antigone declares, “I was born to join in love, not hate” (Sophocles 522).

Smith and Lee argue that perception is culturally shaped (45).

Johnson, Brown, and Doe suggest collaborative learning improves outcomes (77).

As Miller et al. observe, technology transforms communication (88).

Taylor and White found emotional intelligence impacts leadership (103).

Adams, Baker, and Clark emphasize early education (15).

Wilson and Evans link diet to cognitive performance (67).

Nguyen et al. study migration patterns in urban areas (201).

Scott and Reed advocate for inclusive policies (90).

Foster, Greene, and Hill identify key trends in AI ethics (133).

Young and King stress media literacy in schools (44).

Ward, Cox, and Perry analyze renewable energy adoption (76).

Russell et al. conclude interdisciplinary research drives innovation (189).

As cited in Smith, Jones claims “innovation drives progress” (qtd. in Smith 45).

Brown references Lee: “culture shapes behavior” (qtd. in Brown 88).

Doe quotes Johnson: “education liberates minds” (qtd. in Doe 102).

As Miller notes, Wilson said “change is inevitable” (qtd. in Miller 55).

Taylor cites Adams: “art reflects society” (qtd. in Taylor 33).

Evans references Clark: “truth requires courage” (qtd. in Evans 77).

White quotes Scott: “leadership is service” (qtd. in White 91).

Hill cites Foster: “technology reshapes identity” (qtd. in Hill 120).

King references Young: “media influences belief” (qtd. in King 44).

Perry quotes Ward: “sustainability begins locally” (qtd. in Perry 76).

Russell cites Nguyen: “migration fuels growth” (qtd. in Russell 201).

Reed quotes Cox: “equity enhances performance” (qtd. in Reed 89).

Smith observes digital reading alters comprehension (par. 4).

Lee notes online texts lack physical permanence (chap. 3).

Brown highlights accessibility of e-books (sec. 2.1).

Doe argues hyperlinks distract readers (para. 7).

Johnson finds screen time reduces retention (sect. 5).

Miller states open-access books increase equity (ch. 4).

Taylor notes instant search improves research (par. 12).

Evans warns about digital obsolescence (section 3).

White emphasizes cloud storage benefits (para. 9).

Hill observes audiobooks aid learning (chap. 6).

Foster finds annotation tools enhance engagement (par. 5).

King stresses the need for digital preservation (sect. 8).

Smith writes, “the sky changes color…at dawn” (45).

“Language [specifically English] shapes thought” (Lee 78).

She said, “I’ll…never leave you” (Brown 102).

“Truth is…stranger than fiction” (Doe 33).

Johnson notes, “democracy…thrives on participation” (56).

“Hope is the thing [bird] with feathers” (Dickinson 12).

“The world…is too much with us” (Wordsworth 8).

“All happy families…are alike” (Tolstoy 1).

“It was the best…of times” (Dickens 5).

“Call me…Ishmael” (Melville 3).

“In three words…I can sum up everything” (Fitzgerald 99).

“We few, we…happy few” (Shakespeare 67).