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> – c 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.

Example

<b>This text is bold</b>

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

Example

<strong>This text is strong</strong>

HTML <i> and <em> Elements

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

Example

<i>This text is italic</i>

The HTML <em> element defines emphasized text, with added semantic importance.

Example

<em>This text is emphasized</em>

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 <small> Element

The HTML <small> element defines smaller text:

Example

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

HTML <mark> Element

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

Example

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

HTML <del> Element

The HTML <del> element defines deleted/removed text.

Example

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

HTML <ins> Element

The HTML <ins> element defines inserted/added text.

Example

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

HTML <sub> Element

The HTML <sub> element defines subscripted text.

Example

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

HTML <sup> Element

The HTML <sup> element defines superscripted text.

Example

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

HTML Text Formatting Elements

For a complete list of all available HTML tags, visit our HTML Tag Reference.