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HTML Text Formatting Elements

Text Formatting

This text is bold

This text is italic

This is superscript

HTML Formatting Elements

In the previous chapter, you learned about HTML styling, using 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:

  • Bold text
  • Important text
  • Italic text
  • Emphasized text
  • Marked text
  • Small text
  • Deleted text
  • Inserted text
  • Subscripts
  • Superscripts

HTML Bold and Strong Formatting

The HTML <b> element defines bold text, without any extra importance.

Example

<p>This text is normal.</p>

<p><b>This text is bold</b>.</p>
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The HTML <strong> element defines strong text, with added semantic "strong" importance.

Example

<p>This text is normal.</p>

<p><strong>This text is strong</strong>.</p>
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HTML Italic and Emphasized Formatting

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

Example

<p>This text is normal.</p>

<p><i>This text is italic</i>.</p>
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The HTML <em> element defines emphasized text, with added semantic importance.

Example

<p>This text is normal.</p>

<p><em>This text is emphasized</em>.</p>
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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 Small Formatting

The HTML <small> element defines small text:

Example

<h2>HTML <small>Small</small> Formatting</h2>
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HTML Marked Formatting

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

Example

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

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

Example

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

The HTML <ins> element defines inserted (added) text.

Example

<p>My favorite <ins>color</ins> is red.</p>
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HTML Subscript Formatting

The HTML <sub> element defines subscripted text.

Example

<p>This is <sub>subscripted</sub> text.</p>
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HTML Superscript Formatting

The HTML <sup> element defines superscripted text.

Example

<p>This is <sup>superscripted</sup> text.</p>
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Test Yourself with Exercises!

Exercise 1 »   Exercise 2 »   Exercise 3 »   Exercise 4 »   Exercise 5 »


HTML Text Formatting Elements

Tag Description
<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