Emphasis

On this page

• Bold
• Italic
• Underline

Bold

Use bold for emphasis to highlight certain words, phrases, or numbers. But use it sparingly; the more you use it, the less effective it is.

Never write an entire line or body of text in bold.

Use bold to emphasize the negative

You can use bold to emphasize the negative in a sentence. However, do not bold a contraction. Instead, remove the contraction and bold both words.

Example: Use bold to emphasize the negative

You do not need to do your first tax return before you can get these benefits and credits.

Applicants cannot complete Part B themselves.

Use bold to emphasize key phone numbers, dates, or times

You can bold a key phone number, date, or time you don't want people to miss. If this is the case, bold only the phone number, date, or time, not the whole sentence.

Example: Use bold to emphasize key phone numbers, dates, or times

You can call us using one of the following numbers:

• 1-800-959-8281 from any province in Canada or the United States
• 1-866-426-1527 from Yukon, Northwest Territories or Nunavut

Your SR&ED claim will generally be processed within 60 calendar days of the date we receive your completed claim and your income tax return for the year.

The CRA aims to review your application and mail you a notice of determination within 8 weeks of receiving it.

If the recipient died before the scheduled month in which the CRA issued either the GST/HST credit or the CAIP, payments will no longer be issued in that person's name or to that person's estate.

Italic

Italicized text can affect the readability of the text depending on how you use it.

If you use italic sparingly and for short sections of text, it can enhance readability. However, if you make long paragraphs or entire bodies of text italic, the text can become harder to read.

Don't use italic:

• For design or decorative purposes
• To emphasize a word or phrase (use bold sparingly instead)
• For long passages of text, such as quotations
• In page titles

Use italic:

• For branded trademarks, such as Interac®
• Follow the Writing Tips Plus rules for using italic:
  • French and foreign words
  • Latin terms and abbreviations
  • Legal references
  • Mathematical, statistical and scientific material
  • Titles of works
    • Do not italicize multiple hyperlinked titles of publications if they appear together in a list

Underline

Use underline only for link text.

Do not underline other types of text as this mimics the visual appearance of a link and can cause usability problems.

Example: Use underline for links

You may also view the reference number in My Account.

If you have a spouse or common-law partner, they also have to file a return.