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.

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

Example

<b>This text is bold</b>
<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.

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

<i>This text is italic</i>
<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> and <ins> Elements

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

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> and <sup> Elements

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.

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