et al

USAGE SUMMARY

'et al.' is correct and commonly used in written English.
It is an abbreviation of the Latin phrase “et alia,” which means “and others.” You can use it when you are referring to a group of people, animals, or things and you are omitting some members of the group. For example: Scientists such as Einstein, Curie, et al., discovered the theory of relativity.

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Fumihito et al 1996.

The Guardian

Eriksson et al., 2008.

The Guardian

Balanoff et al. 2013.

The Guardian

Godefroit, P. et al. 2014.

The Guardian

The A Train et Al.

The New York Times - Arts

Love, D.A.K.C NY et al.

The New York Times

de Cupere et al, 2005.

The Guardian

(Despotova et al., xxxx).

Clinical Neurophysiology

Li et al.

Engineering Applications of Artificial Intelligence

Memmott et al.

Quaternary International

He et al.

Journal of Investigative Dermatology

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "et al", make sure that your style guide allows it. Some style guides prefer listing all authors, especially if the number of authors is small.

Common error

Avoid italicizing "et al" unless the surrounding text is also italicized. The phrase is already an abbreviation and does not require further emphasis.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "et al" functions as an abbreviation in citations, indicating that additional authors contributed to a work. As Ludwig AI explains, it's a standard method for shortening author lists in academic and formal writing.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

60%

News & Media

20%

Formal & Business

20%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "et al" is a common and correct abbreviation used to shorten lists of authors in citations, primarily in academic and scientific writing. Ludwig AI confirms its validity and widespread usage. It's crucial to use it according to the guidelines of the specific style guide you're following. Alternatives like "and others" or "and colleagues" may be preferred in more informal contexts. While the phrase is prevalent in scholarly articles, knowing when and how to appropriately employ "et al" contributes to clear and concise writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

and others

A direct English translation of the Latin "et alia".

and colleagues

Replaces the Latin abbreviation with a more explicit English term.

and co-workers

Similar to "and colleagues", but implies a closer working relationship.

among others

Highlights that the listed items are just a few examples from a larger set.

and associates

Similar to colleagues, but suggests a professional association.

with others

Emphasizes collaboration with unnamed individuals.

in collaboration with others

More formal way to express joint work with multiple people.

together with others

Highlights a joint effort among multiple contributors.

and the like

Used to indicate that the list contains other items of the same type.

with additional contributors

More verbose but emphasizes the presence of other contributors.

FAQs

How do I use "et al" in a sentence?

Use "et al" after the first author's name in a citation to indicate that there are other authors. For example, Smith /s/et+al argues that...

What does "et al" mean?

"Et al" is an abbreviation of the Latin phrase "et alia", meaning "and others". It is used in citations to shorten a list of authors.

When should I use "et al" instead of listing all authors?

Use "et al" when a source has three or more authors, and your style guide allows it. Some style guides prefer listing all authors if there are only a few.

Is it correct to use "et al" in all types of writing?

While "et al" is widely accepted in academic and scientific writing, it may be less appropriate in informal or journalistic contexts where clarity and readability are prioritized. In these cases, consider using "and others" or similar alternatives.