There are generally six types of fonts. The basic classifications are the serif and sans serif. Then, people began to be focus on creativity and function and so we got the script, fixed width, novelty and dingbat fonts.
Serif Fonts
Have you noticed that in some fonts, there are finishing strokes at the bottom and/or top of the typefaces. These “extra strokes” are what we call serif. Furthermore, serif fonts can be subdivided into different types of serif: Old Style, Transitional, Modern and Slab. To better understand these serif fonts, refer to the image below.

Old Style serif has the distinction of having small differences leading to smooth transitions between thick and thin strokes. This type of font is very versatile. It has excellent readability, so they are good with documents.
In transitional serif fonts, the brackets (curved lines between the end of the letter (also known as terminal) and the serif) are still present but the edge of the serif is squared off. Being the transition between old style and modern, this type of font also has the good readability characteristic with the elegance of the modern serif. The most common transitional serif font is Times New Roman.
For modern serif, the brackets are not present anymore if not minimal, but the thin and thick lines are still present. This type of font is usually associated with grace and style.
For slab serif, the difference between the thick and thin lines are very small or none at all. This type of font shows strength so you might want to use it catch people’s attention.
Sans Serif Fonts
As what the name implies, Sans Serif are those typefaces without serif. People use this type of font when they want to bring on a cleaner feel. On webpages, designers usually use sans serif fonts if there are a lot of content within the webpage. Also, sans serif fonts are more readable when they are small or when the resolution of the print is not very clear. The most common sans serif font is Arial.
Notice sans serif f (and also the serif) fonts used in the MSNBC website as shown below.
Script Fonts
Script fonts follow the handwriting of human. It provides more character, and it encourages different types of moods easily. Some may not be very easy to read but they give a more personalized approach. You can usually see these types of fonts in invitations or personal letters. See the image of in(courage) website below.






