Italics and Underlining Worksheets

Answer Keys Here

In this selection of worksheets, we will introduce text and type face formatting that really can help you get text noticed by your audience whether it is used for advertising purposes or in literature. The first method well discuss is creating a typeface that slants the letters to the right a bit like this. When we set this type face up it is called italicizing. This is often used to call attention to a specific section of text, but there are rule standards that we must adhere to when using them. While you may just think this a cool little font adjustment it serves a purpose in the grammar of our language. Another method we can use for calling awareness to a certain portion of our work is by underlining it. This series of worksheets will help you become more comfortable with how to draw attention to specific section of your written work. We will give you plenty of practice.

Italics and Underlining Worksheets To Print:

In Action - Titles of major works are formatted different than the rest of a text. If your text is typed, titles of major works should be italicized. If you are writing by hand, they should be underlined. Major works can be the titles of books, movies, long poems, plays, magazines, newspapers, television shows, albums, paintings, ballets, operas, etc.

Underlining Titles - Underline the major works in each sentence. If there is no major work in the sentence, do not underline anything.

Quotation Marks - Below are the titles of some works and a short description of each. Use each one in a sentence. Use underlining or quotation marks as needed.

Formatting Titles - Write a sentence for each prompt. Format the titles correctly.

Major Works - Underline the titles of major works when you write them in a sentence. Put the titles of smaller works in quotation marks.

Which One? - Indicate whether the title of each word should be underlined or put in quotation marks when included in a text.

Using Titles in Text - Use each title given below in a sentence.

Give an Example - Add an example for each type of work. Format correctly.

Oh, Those Titles! - Use whatever resources you have available to you to find an example of each of the following. Use the example in a sentence.

For Titles - Choose to major works that you are familiar with from any of the categories above. Using the computer, write a paragraph comparing and contrasting the two works.

Italics for Formatting Titles - Using the computer, write a sentence to satisfy each prompt. Respond in complete sentences. Format the titles correctly.

Formatting Titles of Major Works - Titles of major works are formatted different than the rest of a text. If your text is typed, titles of major works should be italicized.

Writing about Current Events - Do research on the library or online about a current event. Find at least three sources that are newspapers or magazine. Then use the computer to write a paragraph that compares and contrasts the way the event is portrayed in the different media sources. Be sure to cite each source and format their names correctly.

Major or Minor - Based on the formatting, indicate whether each title is a major or a minor work.

Formatting Titles - What is the correct way to format each of the following? Write your answer on then line.

When Do We Use Italics and Underlining in Our Work?

These two methods can be used interchangeably. Each type of formatting will perform the same overall affect for your readers. People of ask which to use when, but the real answer is that it depends on the medium you are using to create your piece. Underlining can be used when writing things by hand or on a computer. Italics on the other hand are pretty much reserved purely for computer-based writing applications.


Now that we know that which style type, we would use is based on the medium we are working with, lets take a look at the situations that would require us to use these styles with our text. When we are writing informally these styles can be applied to certain words or phrases that we want to emphasize to our readers. In more formal pieces we always apply this format to the name of any periodical or professional publication we may be referring to. You would not use this to highlight the word "newspaper", but you would use it for the periodical named The New York Times. We also follow this same procedure for names of legal cases, websites, plays, and books. Remember this technique is applied to full bodies of work. When we are working with individual efforts such as in the form of articles, poems, or short stories “quotation marks” are used rather than italics or underlining. When we are working with terms of interest for our readers, it is helpful to use this formatting. When you are working with a primary language and have terms that are foreign to that language, ever instance should be highlighted using this technique. When we use technical terms that you may feel that your audience is unfamiliar with, you should also use this technique.


A general rule that you should follow regardless of which format you use is to stay consistent I would try my best to not confuse your readers. If you choose to use italics, stick with and the same goes with underlining.