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[Question] Italics on auxiliary verbs (self.englishpractice)

submitted 1 year ago by xzqtlmn to c/englishpractice

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As far as I can tell, italics are used as an alternative to quotes or double quotes. However, there is one usage that perplexes me: when they're used on auxiliary verbs. For example,

I didn’t even know she had a boy friend.
Oh my god, they really can write!
If you can do that, you should.
But what I can guarantee is that...

I've seen this kind of writing on Reddit and Lemmy for quite a while, but still can't grasp it: when and how?

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[–] xzqtlmn 2 points 1 year ago

Is that it? I've been trying to figuring it for quite a while and it seems so obvious after you said it. I do know that bolds and all caps being used for emphasis, never thought about that italics in the same light, or, I supposed, soft emphasis.

Thanks!!