# Text Formatting — HTML Fundamentals: Structure, Forms and Accessibility

Source: https://www.skillbyai.com/en/html/html-text-formatting

> Emphasize text with strong and em and know why semantic tags beat purely visual b and i.

## Emphasis tags

`<strong>` and `<em>` are semantic; `<b>` and `<i>` are purely visual.

```html
<p><strong>Important:</strong> save your work.</p>
<p>She said it was <em>amazing</em>.</p>
<p><b>Bold text</b> and <i>italic text</i>.</p>
```

## Semantic vs presentational

`<strong>` tells screen readers "this matters" (usually rendered bold). `<b>` just *looks* bold with no extra meaning.

**Quiz:** Which tag carries semantic meaning, not just visual style?

- [ ] <b>
- [ ] <i>
- [ ] <small>
- [x] <strong>

*Answer:* <strong>. `<strong>` communicates importance to assistive tech; `<b>` and `<i>` are purely visual.