HTML Text Formatting

Text Formatting

This text is bold

This text is italic

This is subscript and superscript

HTML Formatting Elements

In the previous chapter, you learned about the HTML style attribute.

HTML also defines special elements for defining text with a special meaning.

HTML uses elements like <b> and <i> for formatting output, like bold or italic text.

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> - Small 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.

<b>This text is bold</b>

The HTML <strong> element defines strong text, with added semantic "strong" importance.

<strong>This text is strong</strong>

HTML <i> and <em> Elements

The HTML <i> element defines italic text, without any extra importance.

<i>This text is italic</i>

Note: Browsers display <strong> as <b>, and <em> as <i>. However, there is a difference in the meaning of these tags: <b> and <i> defines bold and italic text, but <strong> and <em> means that the text is "important".

HTML <mark> Element

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

<h2>HTML <mark>Marked</mark> Formatting</h2>

HTML <del> Element

The HTML <del> element defines deleted (removed) text.

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

HTML <sup> Element

The HTML <sup> element defines superscripted text.

<p>This is ^{superscripted} text.</p>

HTML Text Formatting Elements

TagDescription
<b> Defines bold text

<em> Defines emphasized text
<i> Defines italic text
<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