Et Al.: Meaning, Examples, and How to Use It Correctly

If you read academic articles, research papers, or citations, you have probably seen et al. written after an author’s name. This short expression is commonly used when a work has multiple authors and listing every name would make the citation unnecessarily long.

Et al. is a Latin abbreviation that means “and others.” For example, instead of repeatedly writing the names of several authors, you may see a citation such as Smith et al. (2026). This tells the reader that Smith is the first author and that other authors also contributed to the work.

Although et al. is only two short words, it can cause confusion. Should it have a period? Should it be italicized? Do you put a comma before it? And do APA and MLA use it in the same way? In this guide, you’ll learn what et al. means, how to use it correctly, and how it appears in citations, with clear examples and common mistakes to avoid.

What Does Et Al. Mean?

Et al. is a Latin abbreviation that means “and others.” It is used to shorten a list of names when mentioning every person would be unnecessary or repetitive. You will see it most often in academic writing, research papers, and citations involving multiple authors.

The abbreviation comes from Latin expressions such as et alii, et aliae, and et alia. Although these forms have different grammatical uses in Latin, English writers generally do not need to distinguish between them. In modern English and academic writing, et al. is the standard abbreviated form.

For example, suppose a research paper was written by David Smith, Maria Jones, Robert Brown, and Sarah Wilson. Depending on the citation style and number of authors, the shortened citation might appear as:

Smith et al. (2026)

Here, Smith identifies the first author, while et al. tells the reader that additional authors contributed to the work.

Why Is There a Period in Et Al.?

The correct form is et al., not et. al. The word et is a complete Latin word meaning “and,” so it does not need a period. Al. is an abbreviation of a longer Latin word, so it takes a period.

Correct: Smith et al.
Incorrect: Smith et. al.
Incorrect: Smith et al

A simple way to remember the rule is:

Et = and | al. = others

So, in most English writing, write it as et al.

How to Use Et Al. Correctly

Using et al. correctly is fairly simple once you understand its basic punctuation and placement. In academic writing, however, the exact rules about when to shorten an author list depend on the citation style you are following.

Here are the main rules to remember.

1. Use Et Al. After the First Author’s Name

In shortened citations, et al. normally follows the surname of the first author.

Example:
Smith et al. (2026) found that regular practice improved language learning outcomes.

Another common form is a parenthetical citation:

Example:
Regular practice may improve language learning outcomes (Smith et al., 2026).

The number of authors required before you use et al. depends on the citation style. Always follow the rules of APA, MLA, Chicago, or whichever style your school, journal, or organization requires.

2. Put a Period After “Al.”

Always put a period after al. because it is an abbreviation.

Correct: Smith et al.
Incorrect: Smith et al

The period belongs to al., not to et.

3. Do Not Put a Period After “Et”

The word et means “and” in Latin and is not an abbreviation. Therefore, it does not take a period.

Correct: et al.
Incorrect: et. al.
Incorrect: et. al

Remember:

et + al. = et al.

4. Do Not Write “And Et Al.”

Because et already means “and,” writing and et al. effectively repeats the word “and.”

Correct: Smith et al. conducted the study.
Incorrect: Smith and et al. conducted the study.

Use either the full list of names when appropriate or the correctly shortened form required by your citation style.

5. Do You Put a Comma Before Et Al.?

Normally, you do not put a comma between the first author’s surname and et al.

Correct: Smith et al.
Incorrect: Smith, et al.

However, punctuation elsewhere in the citation can depend on the citation style. For example, APA parenthetical citations place a comma between the author element and the year:

(Smith et al., 2026)

That comma comes after et al., not between Smith and et al.

Quick Rules for Using Et Al.

These general rules will help you write et al. correctly, but citation styles have their own requirements for deciding when the abbreviation should be used.