Most commonly, italics are used for emphasis or contrast — that is, to draw attention to some particular part of a text. ... This is the standard way of representing emphasis or contrast; you should not try to use quotation marks or other punctuation marks for this purpose.
When should I use italics in writing?
When to Use Italics in Your Writing
- To emphasize something.
- For titles of standalone works, such as books and movies.
- For vehicle names, such as ships.
- To show that a word is borrowed from another language.
- For the Latin “scientific” names of plant and animal species.
How do italics help the reader?
They can emphasize a word or phrase or denote a character's thoughts. They should always be used for titles of things like books and albums and words from a foreign language. A great tool, italics can help authors ignite their ink, so their story stands out and lingers with readers.
