Long direct quotations in MLA format. Long direct quotations consists of quotations that are longer than four lines of prose or three lines of verse, and the MLA format dictates how these are presented. 1  Use a free-standing block of text (block quote). 2  Omit the quotation marks. 3  Start the direct quotation on a new line. 4  Indent one inch from the left margin. 5  Indent the first word of 6  ... U