MLA format is the document style defined by the Modern Language Association, used for essays and research papers in English, literature, and other humanities courses. The current version is the MLA 9th edition (published 2021). The templates on this page come pre-formatted with the correct margins, font, spacing, header, and Works Cited page — download one, replace the placeholder text with your own, and your paper is formatted before you write a word. Below the templates you’ll also find the full list of MLA formatting rules, a visual example of a correctly formatted first page, and step-by-step instructions for setting up MLA format in Microsoft Word yourself.

MLA Format Rules (9th Edition)

A paper in MLA format follows these specifications:

• Margins: 1 inch on all four sides.
• Font: a legible font in which regular and italic are clearly distinct — Times New Roman 12 pt is the safe standard choice.
• Spacing: double-spaced throughout, including the heading, block quotes, and the Works Cited page. No extra blank lines between paragraphs.
• Heading (first page only): your name, your instructor’s name, the course, and the date — on four separate double-spaced lines, top-left of page one. MLA does not use a separate title page unless your instructor asks for one.
• Title: centered on the line after the heading, in normal text — no bold, underline, italics, or quotation marks, and no extra spacing around it.
• Running header: your last name and the page number in the top-right corner of every page, half an inch from the top.
  Paragraphs: first line of every paragraph indented half an inch (use the Tab key or paragraph settings — not spaces).
• Works Cited: starts on a new page at the end, with the title “Works Cited” centered, entries alphabetized by author surname, and each entry formatted with a hanging indent (first line flush left, subsequent lines indented half an inch).

What MLA Format Looks Like?

Here is the first page of a paper in correct MLA format. Every template below follows this same layout:

 

Ramirez 1

Elena Ramirez

Professor Whitfield

English 102

27 August 2026

The Role of Setting in Modern Short Fiction

In contemporary short fiction, setting operates as far more than a backdrop for events; it shapes character decisions, establishes tone, and often carries the story’s central meaning. Writers such as Jhumpa Lahiri demonstrate how a carefully chosen setting can . . .

[paper continues, double-spaced, with each paragraph indented half an inch]

 

Note the four-line heading top-left, the last name and page number top-right, the plain centered title, and half-inch paragraph indents — these are the details instructors check first.

Free MLA Format Templates

Each template below opens in Microsoft Word with all of the above formatting already applied. Choose the layout that fits your assignment, download it, and start typing over the placeholder text.

 

Click on this red download button to grab this MLA Format Template.

 

Click on this red download button to grab this MLA Format Template.

 

Click on this red download button to grab this MLA Format Template.

 

Click on this red download button to grab this MLA Format Template.

Click on this red download button to grab this MLA Format Template.

 

Click on this red download button to grab this MLA Format Template.

 

Click on this red download button to grab this MLA Format Template.

 

Click on this red download button to grab this MLA Format Template.

 

Click on this red download button to grab this MLA Format Template.

 

Click on this red download button to grab this MLA Format Template.

 

Click on this red download button to grab this MLA Format Template.

 

How to Set Up MLA Format in Microsoft Word

Prefer to format a document yourself instead of using a template? In Word, it takes about two minutes:

1. Set the margins: Layout ? Margins ? Normal (1? on all sides — this is usually the default).
2. Set the font: Home tab ? choose Times New Roman, size 12.
3. Set double spacing: Home ? Line and Paragraph Spacing ? 2.0. Then open the same menu ? Line Spacing Options and make sure “Don’t add space between paragraphs of the same style” is checked (or set Spacing Before/After to 0 pt).
4. Add the running header: Insert ? Page Number ? Top of Page ? Plain Number 3 (right-aligned). Then type your last name and a space to the left of the number, select the header text, and set it to Times New Roman 12 as well. Close the header.
5. Type the heading: on the first line of the document (left-aligned), type your name, then Enter, instructor’s name, Enter, course, Enter, and the date.
6. Add the title: press Enter once, center the line (Ctrl+E), and type your title in plain text. Press Enter, switch back to left alignment (Ctrl+L), and begin your first paragraph with a Tab indent.
7. Format the Works Cited page: at the end of your paper insert a page break (Ctrl+Enter), center the title “Works Cited,” then for the entries: select them, open the Paragraph dialog, and under Indentation ? Special choose “Hanging” at 0.5?.

MLA 8 vs. MLA 9: Did the Format Change?

If you learned MLA a few years ago, the good news is that the page formatting — margins, font, spacing, heading, header, and indents — is unchanged between the 8th edition (2016) and the 9th edition (2021). The 9th edition mainly expanded and clarified guidance: fuller advice on citing online sources and containers, updated recommendations on inclusive language, and clearer rules for annotated bibliographies. So an “MLA 8” template usually still produces a correctly formatted paper; what deserves fresh attention in MLA 9 is how you build your Works Cited entries, especially for websites, videos, and social media sources.

Frequently Asked Questions

What font and size does MLA format use?

MLA requires a legible font in which regular and italic styles look clearly different, sized between 11 and 13 points. Times New Roman at 12 pt is the conventional choice and the safest option — some instructors expect it specifically, so check your assignment guidelines.

Does MLA format require a title page?

No. By default, MLA papers use a four-line heading on the first page instead of a separate title page. Add a title page only if your instructor specifically requires one — and in that case, follow the layout they specify.

Is MLA format double-spaced?

Yes — the entire paper is double-spaced: the heading, the body text, block quotations, and every entry on the Works Cited page. Do not add extra blank lines between paragraphs or before and after the title.

What is the difference between MLA and APA format?

MLA (Modern Language Association) is standard in the humanities and cites sources by author and page number, with a Works Cited page. APA (American Psychological Association) is standard in the social sciences and cites by author and year, with a References page and, typically, a separate title page. Always use the style your instructor or field requires.

How do I do a hanging indent in Word for the Works Cited page?

Select your Works Cited entries, open the Paragraph settings dialog, and under Indentation ? Special choose “Hanging” with the value set to 0.5?. Each citation’s first line will sit flush left with the following lines indented — the required format for MLA Works Cited entries.