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HTML Text Formatting

HTML contains several elements for defining text with a special meaning

HTML Formatting Elements

Formatting elements were designed to display special types of text:

  • <b> - Bold text
  • <strong> - Important text
  • <i> - Italic text
  • <em> - Emphasized text
  • <mark> - Marked text
  • <small> - Smaller text
  • <del> - Deleted text
  • <ins> - Inserted text
  • <sub> - Subscript text
  • <sup> - Superscript text

    • HTML <b> and <strong> Elements

    The HTML <b> element defines bold text, without any extra importance.

    Example

    <b>This text is bold</b>

    The HTML <strong> element defines text with strong importance. The content inside is typically displayed in bold.

    Example

    <strong>This text is important!</strong>

    HTML <i> and <em> Elements

    The HTML <i> element defines a part of text in an alternate voice or mood. The content inside is typically displayed in italic.

    Tip: The <i> tag is often used to indicate a technical term, a phrase from another language, a thought, a ship name, etc.

    Example

    <i>This text is italic</i>

    The HTML <em> element defines emphasized text. The content inside is typically displayed in italic.

    Tip: A screen reader will pronounce the words in <em> with an emphasis, using verbal stress.

    Example

    <em>This text is emphasized</em>

    HTML <small> Element

    The HTML <small> element defines smaller text:

    Example

    <small>This is some smaller text.</small>

    HTML <mark> Element

    The HTML <mark> element defines text that should be marked or highlighted:

    Example

    <p>Do not forget to buy <mark>milk</mark> today.</p>

    HTML <del> Element

    The HTML <del> element defines text that has been deleted from a document. Browsers will usually strike a line through deleted text:

    Example

    <p>My favorite color is <del>blue</del> red.</p>

    HTML <ins> Element

    The HTML <ins> element defines a text that has been inserted into a document. Browsers will usually underline inserted text:

    Example

    <p>My favorite color is <del>blue</del> <ins>red</ins>.</p>

    HTML <sub> Element

    The HTML <sub> element defines subscript text. Subscript text appears half a character below the normal line, and is sometimes rendered in a smaller font. Subscript text can be used for chemical formulas, like H2O:

    Example

    <p>This is <sub>subscripted</sub> text.</p>

    HTML <sup> Element

    The HTML <sup> element defines superscript text. Superscript text appears half a character above the normal line, and is sometimes rendered in a smaller font. Superscript text can be used for footnotes, like WWW[1]:

    Example

    <p>This is <sup>superscripted</sup> text.</p>

    HTML Exercises

    Test Yourself With Exercises

    Exercise:

    Add extra importance to the word "degradation" in the paragraph below.

    <p>
    WWF's mission is to stop the degradation of our planet's natural environment.
    </p>

    Start the Exercise

    HTML Text Formatting Elements

    Tag Description
    <b> Defines bold text
    <em> Defines emphasized text 
    <i> Defines a part of text in an alternate voice or mood
    <small> Defines smaller text
    <strong> Defines important text
    <sub> Defines subscripted text
    <sup> Defines superscripted text
    <ins> Defines inserted text
    <del> Defines deleted text
    <mark> Defines marked/highlighted text

    For a complete list of all available HTML tags, visit our HTML Tag Reference.

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