You block quote when a quotation is longer than four lines (MLA) or 40 words (APA). To format one, start the quote on a new line, indent the whole block half an inch from the left margin, drop the quotation marks, and put the citation after the closing punctuation. The line that introduces a block quote usually ends with a colon.
Here are the rules for when to use a block quote and exactly how to format it in MLA and APA.
When should you use a block quote?
Use a block quote only for long quotations. In MLA, that means prose longer than four lines, or more than three lines of verse. In APA, it means a quotation of 40 words or more. Anything shorter should stay in the run of your text with quotation marks, ideally embedded into your own sentence. For short quotes, see how to introduce a quote.
Block quotes are powerful but heavy. Use them sparingly, only when the full passage matters and paraphrasing would lose something. A page crowded with block quotes signals padding rather than analysis.
How do you format a block quote?
The mechanics are nearly identical in MLA and APA:
Introduce the quote in your own words, usually ending with a colon. Start the quotation on a new line. Indent the entire block half an inch (one tab) from the left margin. Do not add quotation marks, since the indentation already signals a quotation. Keep the text double-spaced. Place the parenthetical citation after the final punctuation mark, not before it.
That last point is the one people miss: in a normal in-text quote the citation comes before the period, but in a block quote the period comes first and the citation follows it.
How do you cite a block quote in MLA?
End the block with the period, then the author and page number in parentheses with no “p.”:
The narrator’s detachment never fully lifts, even at the close of the chapter. (Smith 142)
The author’s name can appear either in your introductory sentence or in the parentheses, but not both. For full MLA rules, see how to quote in MLA and MLA quote citation.
How do you cite a block quote in APA?
APA uses the same indented format, with the citation as author, year, and page after the final period: (Smith, 2020, p. 142). If you named the author in your lead-in, give only the year and page in parentheses. For the details, see APA quote citation.
Do you change anything inside the quote?
Keep the wording exact. Use square brackets to insert a clarifying word and an ellipsis (…) to mark anything you cut. If the original has a quotation inside it, keep those internal quotation marks as they appear, since the block format only removes the outer marks you would otherwise add.
FAQ
How many words is a block quote?
In APA, 40 words or more. In MLA, more than four lines of prose (length in words varies, but four typed lines is the trigger). Below those limits, use a regular in-text quotation.
Do block quotes have quotation marks?
No. The half-inch indentation replaces the quotation marks. Adding both is incorrect. Keep internal quotation marks that were already in the original passage.
Where does the citation go in a block quote?
After the final punctuation. Unlike a normal quote, the period comes before the parenthetical citation in a block quote.
Should you introduce a block quote with a colon?
Usually, yes. A block quote is normally set up by a complete sentence ending in a colon. If your lead-in flows directly into the quoted words grammatically, other punctuation can apply, but the colon is standard.
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