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.
The HTML <strong> element defines text with strong importance. The content inside is typically displayed in bold.
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.
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 <small> Element
The HTML <small> element defines smaller text:
HTML <mark> Element
The HTML <mark> element defines text that should be marked or highlighted:
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 <ins> Element
The HTML <ins> element defines a text that has been inserted into a document. Browsers will usually underline inserted text:
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 <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]:
<!doctype html> <html> <head> <title>Text Formating</title> </head> <body> <p>This is normal text</p> <p>This is <b>bold</b> text</p> <p>This is<strong>strong</strong></p> <p>This is <i>italic</i> text</p> <p>This is <u>underlined</u> text</p> <p>This is <del>deleted</del> text</p> <p>This is <big>big</big> text</p> <p>This is <small>small</small> text</p> <p>This is <sub>subscript</sub> text</p> <p>This is <sup>superscript</sup> text</p> <p>This is <tt>monospaced</tt> text</p> <p>This is <markstyle="background-color:lightgreen">normal text</mark></p> <p>This is <markstyle="background-color:red">normal text</mark></p> <p>This is <markstyle="background-color:yellow">normal text</mark></p> </body> </html>