**`<i>`** italicizes text but, like `<b>`, carries **no semantic emphasis** in HTML5 — it marks text that is set apart in tone or kind from the rest, such as a foreign-language phrase, a taxonomic name (like *Homo sapiens*), a ship's name, or a character's internal thoughts in a story. If you actually want to stress a word to change the meaning of a sentence, use `<em>` instead, which assistive technology treats as emphasized speech.
1Understanding <i>
`<i>` italicizes text but, like <b>, carries no semantic emphasis in HTML5 — it marks text that is set apart in tone or kind from the rest, such as a foreign-language phrase, a taxonomic name (like *Homo sapiens*), a ship's name, or a character's internal thoughts in a story. If you actually want to stress a word to change the meaning of a sentence, use <em> instead, which assistive technology treats as emphasized speech.
A quick test: technical terms, foreign words, and titles of works are usually <i>. Words you'd raise your voice for when reading aloud are usually <em>.
<p>The <i>T. rex</i> was a large carnivorous dinosaur.</p>2Practical Example
Here is a real-world application of <i> showing how it is used in production HTML.
<!-- A character's internal thought in narrative text -->
<p>She looked at the letter. <i>This can't be right</i>, she thought.</p>3Best Practices
Follow these guidelines when working with <i>:
1. Use <i> for foreign words, technical terms, and taxonomic names
2. Use <em> instead when you want to change the meaning/stress of a sentence
3. Use <cite> specifically for the titles of creative works, not <i>
Tip: A quick test: technical terms, foreign words, and titles of works are usually <i>. Words you'd raise your voice for when reading aloud are usually <em>.
<p>The <i>T. rex</i> was a large carnivorous dinosaur.</p>