Typing Tricks

When writing comments around our blog, there are many different ways you can type to get your message across better. Putting in one or two smilies to express how you feel or changing the text style to make it stand out are some ways of communication you can use on all WordPress.com blogs!

Just follow these instructions exactly and you’ll be good to go! But please don’t spam with “test” comments – those are considered spam and will be deleted.

WordPress Smilies

You may have seen smilies (also called emoticons) around the PHB and maybe other places. On WordPress.com blogs like this one, when you type a certain combination of keys, they’ll be converted into smilies! Here’s a chart (left side = smilie; right side = what to type to create said smilie):

🙂 :)
😉 ;)
😀 :D
XD XD
>:D >:D
😦 :(
😥 :'(
😐 :|
:/ :/
😮 :o
😛 :P
😡 >:(
o_O o_O
😎 8-)
^^’ ^^'
❤ <3
😕 :?
:mrgreen: :mrgreen:
😳 :oops:
🙄 :roll:
💡 :idea:
❗ :!:
❓ :?:
🐻 :bear:
⭐ :star:
➡ :arrow:
🐱 =^-^=

Make sure to type a space before and after your smilie text. This prevents the smilie being accidentally included in the text around it.

Text Styles

Changing the style of your text can be a great way to grab attention, as long as it’s not overused.

Typing in Bold

“Bold” is when you make the characters in your text thicker, like this. Bold text is used to make important phrases stand out, which is helpful for readers quickly scanning through for key points. Here’s how to type in bold:

  1. Type <b> at the beginning.
  2. Next, enter your text (whatever words you want to bold).
  3. When you’re done typing, add </b> to finish it off.

Please note that the PHB staff may use bold text to reply to comments, so please don’t use it for anything longer than a sentence.

Typing in Italics

When text is slightly slanted to the right side, like this, it’s called italics. They can be used to emphasize an important word in a sentence, for example: I love Poptropica. Titles of books, movies, etc. are also often italicized. Here’s how to type using italics:

  1. Type <i> at the beginning.
  2. Next, enter your text (whatever words you want to italicize).
  3. When you’re done typing your message, add </i> to finish it off.

Remember not to overuse them (as in, don’t use them for long passages) or it’ll be hard to read.

Typing with Underline

Underlined text is when words have a line underneath them, like this. However, it’s actually best not to underline text on the Internet because people may mistake it for a link. Bolding or italicizing text is a more web-friendly option. Here’s how to underline your text:

  1. Type <u> at the beginning.
  2. Next, enter your text (whatever words you want to underline).
  3. When you’re done typing, add </u> to finish it off.

Note: Underlining may be used as an alternative for bolding important headings or italicizing book titles.

Like this page? Check out the PHB’s Pop Plus page for more awesomeness! 😀

315 thoughts on “Typing Tricks”

  2. 🙂 😀 😦 😮 😯 😕 8) 😡 :p :l 😉 😆 😳 😥 👿
    🙄 :mrgreen:

    ST: Sorry, but you shouldn’t make a comment with only smilies, as this is considered spamming (wasting space). Please don’t do this again. ”Testing” smilies is not necessary either.

    Reply

      3. cool!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 😀 (sorry if this is spamming because i only had 1 word just wanted to put in smiley for the first time)

      1. Uhhh, I don’t think so. We’re not supposed to play with the smilies like that, because it’s spamming.

  4. Pingback: Don’t trash your wallpaper! « Poptropica Help Blog

  11. 😈
    ❗ ❗ The new smileys are blobish.
    ❓ ❓
    💡 💡
    ➡ ➡
    :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

    ST: They have now been changed back! 😀 But please do not put so many smilies into one comment…

    Reply

      1. Do u think they listened to the complaints of the commenters?

        ST: Possibly, but probably not from the commenters on this blog. There are so many other WordPress blogs on the internet.

      2. Nya-nya-nya-nya-nya-nya-nya-nya-nya-nya-nya-nya-(:):P:X:?:O:Blah-blah-blah-blah-blah-blah-blah

  17. What old ones? I like these because they are roundish. :mrgreen:

    ST: Read the paragraph[s] about ”the old WordPress smilies” on the Smilies section of this page.

    Reply

  19. This is cool!!!

    :mrgreen:

    Sorry if it’s not so good…
    I wanted the first line to be bold, italic, and underlined.

    Reply
  21. Pingback: Moon magic « Poptropica Help Blog

  60. Can you use any other HTML coding to do effects on your comments?

    Hijuyo: The ones mentioned on this page are the ones we don’t mind the PHB readers using. 😉

    Reply

  81. My name on Poptropica is Icy Lightning , my ” Battle Ranking ” is really supposed to be 4 , but when I go into multi-player rooms , it’s 3 and a half … 🙂 ! BTW , This . Blog . Is . Epic !

    Reply

  82. lol a lot of ppl act like they jst wanna use em but they really are jst testing. 😛 btw i wish they had one like tis -_-

    Reply

What's popping, Poptropicans?