The correct usage of italics

In 1501 the Italian printer, Aldo Manzio introduced a new type face which sloped (or leaned) to the right, like this. This type face is now used mainly for emphasis. When you are writing, rather than printing, you can show that a word is in italics if you underline the word like this.

Sometimes printers use italics when it is not really necessary. When should they be used?

The title of a book or a newspaper, or of a fictional character
A word which would be stressed if the sentence were spoken
A word which is very different to what you are expecting
A word or phrase which is not English
A word which carries the main point of a sentence

Look at the following examples and match each sentence to the reason above. Just write the number of the reason next to each sentence.

A. I never lie!
B. He emerged from the fray looking like a modern-day Achilles.
C. In this case, honesty proved the worst policy.
D. O, well, if it is his book, I'll get another.
E. I read in The Star that war seemed likely.
F. The boy is father to the man.
G. A little learning is a dangerous thing!
H. Have you read David Copperfield?
I. It's not the only painting on show, but it's the one I like.
J. He was acting as an agent provocateur.

Exercise
Underline the words from the following passage that you would put into italics.

After a great deal of thought, I decided that he should be the one to pay for it. Not only had he acted dishonestly, but he had harmed my mother! C'est la guerre you might say, but I read in the Daily News the other day that he had renewed his vicious slanders. Despite all you say, I shall get him! I swear it! Revenge is a dish best served cold. I will serve him up something jolly special, you can be sure if it. As the Bible says, an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.

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