Skip to main content

Text Formatting

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 additional significance.

<b>This text is bold</b>

The HTML<strong> element denotes text that is of high importance. The content is usually displayed in bold.

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

HTML <i> and <em> Elements​

The HTML <i> element specifies a section of text in a different voice or mood. The content is usually displayed in italics.

tip

The <i> tag is frequently used to indicate a technical term, a phrase from another language, a thought, the name of a ship, and so on.

<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.

<em>This text is emphasized</em>

HTML <small> Element​

The HTML <small> element defines smaller text:

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

HTML <mark> Element​

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

<p>Do not forget to do your <mark>homeword</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:

<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:

<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:

<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]:

<p>This is <sup>superscripted</sup> text.</p>
Examples
<b>This text is bold</b>
<strong>This text is important!</strong>
<i>This text is italic</i>
<em>This text is emphasized</em>
<small>This is some smaller text.</small>
<p>Do not forget to do your <mark>homeword</mark> today.</p>
<p>My favorite color is <del>blue</del> <ins>red</ins>.</p>
<p>This is <sub>subscripted</sub> text.</p>
<p>This is <sup>superscripted</sup> text.</p>
Loading...