If you’ve ever read a book or article and noticed some words leaning a little to the right, you’ve met italics.

But when should you use italics? And how do you use them without going overboard?

This post breaks it all down in simple language. We’ll start with a quick history of italics, why we use them, and the most common rules to follow. Ready!

What Are Italics?

Italics are a style of type where the letters slant slightly to the right.

♦ Example:
Regular: I told him I was fine.
Italic: I told him I was fine.

Same words, different feel.

A Bit of History

Let’s take a quick look back and explain why italics exist at all.

In the days before computers and printers, they reproduced books by hand. Can you imagine? Scribes used different handwriting styles for different purposes … some more decorative than others.

Aldus Manutius, an Italian printer, designed italics inspired by the elegant slanted handwriting of the poet Petrarch. hat’s where the name italic comes from: Italy.

At first, italics were sometimes used to fit more text on a page or to set off certain parts of a text.

Only lowercase letters had italics in the beginning, but printers eventually created italic capitals too, and that’s the full italic alphabet we use today

Related Reading: The Power of Word Choice: Finding the Words That Fit

Big Picture

Before we get into where italics belong, here’s a key rule: Don’t set the main body of a book or article in italics. It’s hard on the eyes.

Pages and pages of italics are hard to read. Instead, the main text should usually be in regular type.

Italics can be used more freely in:
♥ prefaces,
♥ epigraphs,
♥ short extracts or quotes,
♥ and certain decorative or special sections where a different “voice” or mood is wanted.

Think of italics as a highlighting tool, not a base style. Use them in small doses.

General Guidelines for Using Italics

We don’t italicize just to make things look pretty (though it can help). Italics have clear, practical uses. Let’s look at the most common ones.

For Emphasize

Italics are a basic way of showing emphasis (of a word or phrase). We use italics to make a word pop in a sentence, like when we want to show a contrast, feeling, or surprise.

Examples:
♦ I asked you to call, not to text.
♦ She said she was fine, but she didn’t look fine.
♦ That was not what I meant.

Emphasis can change the tone of a sentence:

Examples:
♦ I didn’t say she stole the money.
♦ I didn’t say she stole the money. (Someone else did.)
♦ I didn’t say she stole the money. (Maybe someone else did.)
♦ I didn’t say she stole the money. (Maybe she borrowed it.)

Use italics for *emphasis*, but don’t overdo the *italics*. If you make everything important, nothing is.

The reverse is also true: if a passage is already in italics (i.e. a long quote or a thought), you can switch back to normal text briefly to emphasize a word inside it.

For Titles of Longer Works

A common question is, when should I italicize a title, and when should I use quotation marks?

The rule: use italics for titles of longer or standalone works. We usually italicize:

Books → Pride and Prejudice, Dune
Movies → The Avengers, Inside Out
TV shows → Stranger Things, The Crown
Plays → Hamlet, Death of a Salesman
Magazines and newspapers → Time, The New York Times
Albums → Folklore, Abbey Road
Long poems or epic poems → Paradise Lost
Ships → HMS Victory, Titanic
Legal cases → Brown v. Board of Education

Also things like podcasts, radio shows, operas, long musical compositions, apps and video games, and works of art

Don’t use italics when you are talking about a series.

Examples:
♦ Lord of the Rings series
♦ Throne of Glass series
♦ Game of Thrones series

Shorter Works

We usually put shorter works (like chapters, short stories, poems, and articles) in quotation marks instead:

Examples:
♦ We read “The Lottery” in her collection The Lottery and Other Stories.
♦ Did you see the article “10 Ways to Save Time” in Writer’s Digest?
♦ We watched the episode “The Body” from Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

Quick Tip: Italics for extensive works, quotation marks for shorter works.

Familiar Non-English Words and Phrases

We usually italicize words and phrases from other languages that aren’t super common.

Examples:
♦ The dish had a certain je ne sais quoi she couldn’t describe.
♦ He ordered gnocchi and risotto at the Italian restaurant.
♦ She ended the letter with adiós.

But if a non-English word has become very common in English (like pizza, café, taco, bravo, gratis, alma mater, kindergarten) many style guides say you don’t need italics anymore.

Quick Tip: If the word would confuse many readers, italicize it. But if most readers will know it, you can probably leave it in regular type.

Less Familiar Phrases

Italics are also used for phrases in other languages that are not commonly known.

Examples:
♦ bête noire
♦ fait accompli
♦ raison d’être
♦ comme il faut
♦ noblesse oblige
♦ tour de force
♦ hors de combat
♦ en passant
♦ grand monde

These feel more specialized, so italics help guide the reader. The key is to be consistent: if you italicize one phrase of this type, treat similar ones the same way in that piece.

For Objects of Discussion

Sometimes we want to talk about a word itself, not what it means in a sentence. In that case, we often italicize it.

Examples:
♦ The word affect is often confused with effect.
♦ Please avoid using the word very too often.
♦ In this sentence, run is a verb.

Italics show that we’re treating the word as an object of discussion, not as part of the main sentence.

For Letters, Symbols, Variables, and Characters

We also use italics when we’re talking about letters, symbols, variables or characters because it makes things clearer on the page and helps them stand out.

Examples:
♦ The letter x usually represents the unknown in algebra.
♦ Don’t forget to dot your is and cross your ts.
♦ The symbol % means “percent.”

In math and science, italic letters usually represent variables, unknowns, and lines:

♦ Let x = 5
♦ Line AB is parallel to line CD

For Scientific Names, Technical Terms and Astronomy

In science writing, like botany and zoology, italics have some special jobs.

Scientific names

Names of species (binomial names) are usually italicized:

Examples:
♦ Homo sapiens (humans)
♦ Canis lupus (gray wolf)
♦ Escherichia coli (a type of bacteria)

The genus (first word) is capitalized, and the species (second) is lower-case, but you must italicize both.

Technical terms

Sometimes we italicize the first use of a new or important technical term, especially in textbooks or academic writing, but not all style guides do this.

Examples:
♦ This process is called photosynthesis.
♦ The term metadata refers to data about data.

Stars and Constellations

In astronomy, a style guide may require italicizing the names of some stars or constellations.

For Thoughts in Fiction (Style Choice)

In fiction, many writers use italics for character thoughts.

Examples:
♦ This can’t be happening, she thought.
♦ He stared at the door. I should just leave now.
♦ Don’t say anything stupid, he told himself.

However, this is a style choice, not a strict rule. Some writers keep thoughts in regular text and show them through context and viewpoint instead.

The key is that if you choose to italicize thoughts, do it consistently throughout your story.

Examples:
♦ I should go now, he thought.
♦ “I should go now,” he thought.
♦ I should go now, he thought.

All three can work, but not all three in the same book. Choose one approach and stick with it.

For Decorative and Structural Uses

Italics can also give a visual or stylistic effect, especially in more literary or designed layouts.

Headings

Headings usually use bold, and bold italics. We often use italics for:

♥ subheadings or short section titles,
♥ running heads (the small titles at the top of book pages),
♥ side headings in textbooks,
♥ important paragraphs or quoted extracts you want to visually set apart.

Signatures and credits

Authors usually put their names in italics at the end of their article, story, etc.

Examples:
♦ — Jane Doe
♦ Illustrations by John Doe

You don’t have to use italics for these, but they’re a common option and can look elegant. This subtly sets the name apart.

In Poetry and Literary Passages

In poetry or very literary pieces, italics can add a visual and stylistic touch:

♥ to show a different voice,
♥ to set apart a refrain,
♥ or to highlight a shift in mood or time.

Think of italics as a way to visually whisper, echo, or shift tone, not to shout.

Latin References

Older typesetting italicized Latin reference terms.

ibid.
idem
loc. cit.
op. cit.
supra, infra
passim
vide
circa (ca.)
s.v. (sub verbo – “under the word”)

Many are now rare or replaced with clearer citation formats.

Other common abbreviations usually stay in normal text (not italics):

cf.
i.e.
e.g.
v. (versus)
viz.
etc.

Academic and legal writing has strict style guides, so the safest rule is to follow its style guide on italics.

Legal Cases and Resolutions

In legal cases, we often italicize court case names.

♦ Example: Smith v. Jones

In formal resolutions, sometimes we italicize the key word resolved.

♦ Example: Resolved, that…

Again, this depends on the organization’s format rules.

Name of Vehicles

Italicize the names of transport vessels, such as ships, trains, and spacecraft, but not cars, trucks, or bicycles.

Examples:
♦ Challenger (the celebrated space shuttle)
♦ Titanic (the fated ship)

Onomatopoeia

You can use italics to highlight onomatopoeia or words that mimic sounds.

♦ Example: The bacon sizzled in the pan.

But do not put in italics ordinary verbs that suggest a noise.

♦ Example: There was a loud bang.

Related Reading: Mastering the Colon

When Not to Use Italics

There are also times when we shouldn’t use italics.

For Geographic Locations

Capitalize city, state, and country names, but don’t use italics or quotes.

♦ Example: The Saint-Lawrence River runs to the Atlantic Ocean.

For Religious Texts

Capitalize names of religious texts, but don’t use italics or quotation marks.

♦ Example: The Bible, the Koran, and the Torah are all religious books.

Punctuation and Italics

What about punctuation? Should it be italic too?

If the punctuation is part of the title or phrase you are italicizing, it usually goes in italics too.

Examples:
♦ Have you read Where the Crawdads Sing?
♦ We just saw Everything Everywhere All at Once.

Here, only the title is italic. The question mark is part of the sentence, not the title, so it stays regular.

Don’t stress too much about this. The primary goal is clarity, not perfection.

Italics vs. Bold vs. Underline

Italics, bold and underlines are all tools for drawing attention … but they’re used for different things.

Italics

Great for emphasis in running text. Used for titles, foreign words, scientific names, thoughts, and words-as-words.

Bold

Often used for headings, key terms, or interface elements.

♦ Example: Click the Submit button to continue.

Underline

In the days of typewriters, which lacked italics, people used underlining to draw attention. Online these days, people usually read underlined text as a link, so avoid underlining just for emphasis.

Don’t use italics with bold or underlined text. You need only one of these, since they all do the same thing.

Different Style Guides = Slightly Different Rules

Professional writing often follows specific style guides, such as:
♥ APA (for psychology and social sciences),
♥ MLA (for humanities and schools),
♥ Chicago (for books and general publishing),
♥ AP (for journalism).

They mostly agree on the basics, but they may differ in small ways … like whether to italicize certain terms or how to format titles.

If you’re writing for a school, a publisher, or a specific job, you’ll want to check which style guide they want you to use and follow that.

For blogging or personal writing, you have more freedom … as long as you are clear and consistent.

Common Mistakes with Italics

Here are a few pitfalls to watch out for.

1. Overusing italics for emphasis
2. Mixing italics and quotation marks randomly for titles
3. Forgetting to italicize titles of longer works
4. Italicizing common non-English words unnecessarily
5. Inconsistent formatting of thoughts in fiction

Key Takeaways

1. Italics are letters slanted to the right.
2. They emphasize a key word or phrase.
3. Use for titles of books, movies, TV shows, plays, albums, newspapers, etc.
4. Use for non-English words and phrases that aren’t common in English
5. Use for letters, variables and symbols.
6. Use italics sparingly and consistently.

Last Words on Using Italics

Once you get comfortable with italics, they become a quiet little power tool in your writing toolkit … helping you guide the reader’s attention without shouting.

Next time you are reading something, pay attention to the italics. What words are in italics? And why?

Little details like this can make your writing clearer, smoother, and more professional without changing a single word.

Happy writing!

Linda

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