A subheading is a secondary title that breaks up a longer piece of writing into smaller, manageable sections. Think of it as a signpost that tells readers what's coming next. In a chapter about the solar system, you might see subheadings like “The Inner Planets,” “The Asteroid Belt,” and “The Outer Planets.” Each subheading introduces a new topic within the larger subject.

Subheadings make long texts easier to read and understand. Instead of facing a wall of unbroken paragraphs, readers can pause between sections and know exactly what each part covers. They're smaller and less prominent than the main heading at the top of the page, often printed in a different size or style to show they're less important than the title but more important than the regular text.

When you're writing a research report or a long story, subheadings help you organize your thoughts and guide your readers through your ideas. They work like chapter titles within a chapter, breaking information into bite-sized pieces. If someone's skimming an article looking for specific information, subheadings let them jump straight to the section they need without reading everything.