highlighting text

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "highlighting text" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when referring to the action of marking or emphasizing specific portions of written content, often for clarity or importance. Example: "In the document, I recommend highlighting text that contains key information for easier reference."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

12 human-written examples

The idea is that students will be able to interact with their learning material, create study cards by highlighting text and diagrams that come alive at a touch.

The Guardian

Combining ergonomic comfort and a firmer feel, the Bamboo Stylus offers a premium digital inking experience for handwriting notes, highlighting text, editing documents, drawing, sketching and much more.

TechCrunch

There are only five MC-like numeracy items; all other items require participants to enter numbers or interact with the stimulus, for instance, by highlighting text or clicking on a graphical element.

Large-scale Assessments in Education

The startup's initial Flash-based technology allowed you to upload a PDF, and receive a version of the same document in your browser, which you could then share with coworkers and annotate with notes, highlighting, text, and a pen tool, with changes that show up to other users in real time.

TechCrunch

The site's workflow is simple: you upload a PDF, and a few seconds later you've got a version of the same document in your browser, which you can then share with coworkers and annotate with notes, highlighting, text, and a pen tool, with changes that show up to other users in real-time.

TechCrunch

New iBooks features: viewing PDFs, highlighting text, and making notes on the text.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

48 human-written examples

Having said all that, most people today seem to use Apple iPads for annotating and highlighting texts.

The Guardian - Tech

Once downloaded, different viewing options are offered, and it is possible to highlight text and make your own notes against it.

The Guardian - Books

More important, the toolbar allows users to highlight text, graphics, movies or other elements from Web pages and click on Add to Amp.

The New York Times - Tech

When you see highlighted text — in your word processor, for example, or in a Web browser address bar — you don't have to delete it first.

The New York Times - Tech

Users can annotate and highlight text with a finger or a stylus and save notes for future reading.

Forbes

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When "highlighting text" in digital documents, use a color that provides sufficient contrast with the background to ensure readability.

Common error

Avoid "highlighting text" excessively, as it can make the document appear cluttered and reduce the impact of the truly important information.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "highlighting text" functions as a gerund phrase, where "highlighting" is a gerund (a verb form acting as a noun) and "text" is its object. Ludwig AI confirms its usability in various contexts.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

36%

Wiki

30%

Science

24%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "highlighting text" is a grammatically sound and frequently used expression across diverse domains, from news media to scientific publications. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, this gerund phrase is effective for describing the act of emphasizing written content. To enhance clarity, it's advisable to use highlighting judiciously. For alternatives, you might consider "emphasizing text" or "marking text", depending on the desired nuance. While the phrase is mostly neutral, remember to consider the context as using it in formal academic papers may not be appropriate.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

text highlighting

Inverts the word order while keeping the meaning intact.

emphasizing text

Replaces "highlighting" with a synonym that also denotes drawing attention to text.

marking text

Focuses on the act of making a mark on text, similar to highlighting.

drawing attention to text

Describes the effect of highlighting rather than the action itself.

underlining text

Uses a different method of emphasis, but serves a similar purpose to highlighting.

selecting text

Describes the action of choosing text, often as a preliminary step to highlighting or other formatting.

marking up text

Uses a more informal term for annotating or highlighting.

emphasizing passages

Expands from individual text to broader passages, while retaining the core idea of emphasis.

annotating text

Adds notes or explanations to the text, a broader concept that can include highlighting.

illuminating text

Employs a more figurative term for making text stand out.

FAQs

How can I use "highlighting text" effectively in my writing?

Use "highlighting text" sparingly to draw attention to key concepts, important data points, or actionable items within a document.

What are some alternatives to "highlighting text"?

You can use alternatives like "emphasizing text", "underlining text", or "marking text" depending on the desired effect.

Is it appropriate to use "highlighting text" in formal academic writing?

While "highlighting text" itself may not be appropriate in the final version of formal academic writing, it can be a useful technique for note-taking and analysis during the research process.

What's the difference between "highlighting text" and "annotating text"?

"Highlighting text" primarily serves to draw attention, while "annotating text" involves adding notes, explanations, or comments to the original text.