Semantic portal
Formatting
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>
The HTML <em> element defines emphasized text, with added semantic importance.
<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:
<h2>HTML <small>Small</small> Formatting</h2>
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 <ins> Element
The HTML <ins> element defines inserted (added) text.
<p>My favorite <ins>color</ins> is red.</p>
HTML <sub> Element
The HTML <sub> element defines subscripted text.
<p>This is <sub>subscripted</sub> text.</p>
HTML <sup> Element
The HTML <sup> element defines superscripted text.
<p>This is <sup>superscripted</sup> text.</p>
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 |
For a complete list of all available HTML tags, visit our HTML Tag Reference.