Italics <i>text</i> creates:
text
Line Break: This is a line<br>break creates:
This is a line
break
Paragraph: This is a paragraph<p>break creates:
This is a paragraph
break
Paragraphs part 2: The "right" way to write a paragraph is really <p>This is a paragraph</p> It really doesn't matter though.
Fixed size text:
<pre>12345
2 O O
3 >
4 \__/
5 U
</pre> creates:
12345 2 O O 3 > 4 \__/ 5 UNote that what html does is compress spaces. If it sees two spaces, it treats it as a single space.
Font type: <font face="comic sans ms">I like comic sans</font> creates:
I like comic sans
(This assumes the person looking at the page has the font on their pc. If they don't, they won't see any difference)
Font size: <font size=4>I like it big</font> creates:
I like it big
Font size part 2: <font size=2>I like it small</font> creates:
I like it small
Font size: <font color=green>I like it green</font> creates:
I like it green
Fonts combined: <b><font face="comic sans ms" color=green size=4>Mean green fighting machine</font></b> creates:
Mean green fighting machine
Note that all the font stuff is contained in one tag and the one tag is inside the other.
<b><i>text</i></b> works but <b><i>text</b></i> doesn't.
Graphics: <img src="http://nozen.com/geo/sp_ken.gif"> creates:
Background: <BODY BACKGROUND="http://nozen.com/geo/hpbackground.jpg" BGPROPERTIES="fixed"> creates the background seen on http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?ID=106531
Link:<a href="http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?ID=106531">Link</a> creates: Link
Ordered Lists: <ol><li>Bob</li><li>Carol</li><li>Ted</li><li>Alice</li></ol> creates:
Unordered Lists: <ul><li>Bob</li><li>Carol</li><li>Ted</li><li>Alice</li></ul> creates:
Colors: If you want colors you don't know the name of, you can use hex codes. http://hotwired.lycos.com/webmonkey/reference/color_codes/ has a nice list you can use and is a good site for beginning HTML overall.
More Special Characters: I ♥ http://hotwired.lycos.com/webmonkey/reference/special_characters/
Everything else: If I haven't covered it here, you can probably find it at http://hotwired.lycos.com/webmonkey/reference/html_cheatsheet/