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> Elements
The HTML <b> element defines bold text, without any extra importance.
<html><body>
<p>This text is normal.</p>
<p><b>This text is bold.</b></p>
</body></html>
HTML <strong> Elements
The HTML <strong> element defines text with strong importance. The content inside is
typically displayed in bold.
<html><body>
<p>This text is normal.</p>
<p><strong>This text is important!</strong></p>
</body></html>
HTML <i> 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.
<html><body>
<p>This text is normal.</p>
<p><i>This text is italic.</i></p>
</body></html>
HTML <em> Elements
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.
<html><body>
<p>This text is normal.</p>
<p><em>This text is emphasized.</em></p>
</body></html>
HTML <small> Element
The HTML <small> element defines smaller text:
<html><body>
<p>This is some normal text.</p>
<p><small>This is some smaller text.</small></p>
</body></html>
HTML <mark> Element
The HTML <mark> element defines text that should be marked or highlighted:
<html><body>
<p>Do not forget to buy <mark>milk</mark> today.</p>
</body></html>
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:
<html><body>
<p>My favorite color is <del>blue</del> red.</p>
</body></html>
HTML <ins> Element
The HTML <ins> element defines a text that has been inserted into a document.
Browsers will usually underline inserted text:
<html><body>
<p>My favorite color is <del>red</ins>.</p>blue</del> <ins>
</body></html>
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:
<html><body>
<p>This is <sub>subscripted</sub> text.</p>
</body></html>
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]:
<html><body>
<p>This is <sup>superscripted</sup> text.</p>
</body></html>
