You might see <br> Element reference while reading someone else’s HTML, or need it while building a page of your own. Instead of memorizing a definition, look at a working example and see when the element makes sense.
The Idea in Plain English
Adds a line break within a piece of text, such as an address or poem. It does not create a new paragraph.
For a reference page, pay attention to where the element is allowed, whether it needs a closing tag, and what other elements it can contain.
A Working Example
Read the sample once before copying it. Notice the element names and attribute values, then compare them with the explanation below.
<p>Room 12<br>Second floor<br>West building</p>What Each Part Does
- The br element inserts a line break within text.
- A paragraph keeps one idea together as readable text.
The address lines appear separately inside one paragraph.
Try It Yourself
Try replacing the example content with your own while keeping the valid HTML structure.
Common Beginner Mistakes
- Inserting many br elements to create vertical spacing instead of using CSS.
- Changing several parts of the example at once, making it difficult to see which part caused a different result.
- Choosing a tag only because its default appearance looks right, without checking whether it describes the content correctly.
Key Takeaways
- Adds a line break within a piece of text, such as an address or poem. It does not create a new paragraph.
- The address lines appear separately inside one paragraph.
- Test the markup in a browser, and check accessibility and real-world behavior where relevant.