Grid item placement in CSS - Interactive Code Practice

Practice - 5 Tasks

1fill in blank

easy

Complete the code to place the grid item in the first column.

CSS

.item {
  grid-column: [1];
}

Drag options to blanks, or click blank then click option'

A2

Bauto

Cspan 2

D1

Attempts:

3 left

💡 Hint

Common Mistakes

Using 'auto' places the item automatically, not specifically in the first column.

Using 'span 2' makes the item span two columns, not place it in the first.

The grid-column property with value 1 places the item in the first column.

2fill in blank

medium

Complete the code to make the grid item span across two columns.

CSS

.item {
  grid-column: [1];
}

Drag options to blanks, or click blank then click option'

Aspan 2

B1 / 3

C2 / 4

Dauto

Attempts:

3 left

💡 Hint

Common Mistakes

Using 'auto' does not span columns.

Using '1 / 3' works but is more specific than needed here.

The value span 2 tells the grid item to cover two columns starting from its current position.

3fill in blank

hard

Fix the error in the code to correctly place the grid item starting at column 2 and ending at column 4.

CSS

.item {
  grid-column: [1];
}

Drag options to blanks, or click blank then click option'

Aauto

B2 / 4

C4 / 2

Dspan 2

Attempts:

3 left

💡 Hint

Common Mistakes

Reversing the start and end lines causes the item not to display correctly.

Using 'auto' does not specify exact placement.

The correct syntax is start / end, so 2 / 4 places the item from column 2 to 4.

4fill in blank

hard

Fill both blanks to place the grid item starting at row 1 and spanning 3 rows.

CSS

.item {
  grid-row-start: [1];
  grid-row-end: [2];
}

Drag options to blanks, or click blank then click option'

A1

Bspan 3

C4

D3

Attempts:

3 left

💡 Hint

Common Mistakes

Using a fixed end line number instead of 'span' may not work if the grid changes.

Swapping start and end values causes incorrect placement.

Start at row 1 and span 3 rows using span 3 for the end.

5fill in blank

hard

Fill all three blanks to create a grid area named 'header' that starts at row 1, column 1, and spans 2 rows and 3 columns.

CSS

.item {
  grid-area: [1] / [2] / [3] / 4;
}

Drag options to blanks, or click blank then click option'

A1

Cspan 2

Dspan 3

Attempts:

3 left

💡 Hint

Common Mistakes

Confusing row and column order in the shorthand.

Not using 'span' for multiple rows or columns.

The grid-area shorthand uses row-start / column-start / row-end / column-end. Here, start at row 1, column 1, span 2 rows, and end at column 4 (which is 1 + 3 columns).

Practice

1. What does the CSS property grid-column: 2 / 4; do in a grid container?

easy

A. It places the grid item starting at column line 2 and ending before column line 4.

B. It places the grid item in columns 2 and 4 only, skipping column 3.

C. It spans the grid item across 4 columns starting from column 2.

D. It places the grid item only in column 2.

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand grid-column syntax

   The syntax grid-column: start / end; means the item starts at the start line and ends before the end line.

2. Step 2: Apply to given values

   Here, start is 2 and end is 4, so the item covers columns 2 and 3 (lines 2 to 4).

3. Final Answer:

   It places the grid item starting at column line 2 and ending before column line 4. -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   grid-column: 2 / 4 means columns 2 to 3 [OK]

Hint: Remember: start line to end line excludes the end line itself [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Thinking it includes the end line column
• Confusing span count with line numbers
• Assuming it skips columns between start and end

2. Which of the following is the correct syntax to make a grid item span 3 rows starting from row line 1?

easy

A. grid-row: 1 / span 3;

B. grid-row: span 3 / 1;

C. grid-row: 3 / 1;

D. grid-row: 1 - 3;

Solution

1. Step 1: Recall grid-row span syntax

   The correct syntax to span rows is grid-row: start / span number;.

2. Step 2: Match with options

   grid-row: 1 / span 3; uses 1 / span 3, meaning start at line 1 and span 3 rows down.

3. Final Answer:

   grid-row: 1 / span 3; -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Start line then span count is correct [OK]

Hint: Use 'start / span count' to span grid lines correctly [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Reversing start and span values
• Using dash instead of slash
• Placing span before start line

3. Given the CSS below, where will the grid item appear?

grid-template-columns: repeat(4, 1fr);
grid-template-rows: 100px 100px;
.item {
  grid-column: 3 / 5;
  grid-row: 1 / 2;
}

medium

A. The item spans columns 1 to 3 on the first row.

B. The item spans columns 3 and 4 on the second row.

C. The item spans columns 3 and 4 on the first row.

D. The item spans columns 2 to 4 on the first row.

Solution

1. Step 1: Analyze grid-column placement

   The item starts at column line 3 and ends before line 5, so it covers columns 3 and 4.

2. Step 2: Analyze grid-row placement

   The item starts at row line 1 and ends before line 2, so it is on the first row only.

3. Final Answer:

   The item spans columns 3 and 4 on the first row. -> Option C

4. Quick Check:

   grid-column: 3 / 5 and grid-row: 1 / 2 means columns 3-4, row 1 [OK]

Hint: Start line to end line covers all lines in between [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Confusing row numbers with column numbers
• Assuming end line is included
• Mixing up first and second row

4. Identify the error in this CSS for placing a grid item:

.box {
  grid-column: span 2 / 4;
  grid-row: 1 / span 3;
}

medium

A. There is no error; the code is correct.

B. grid-row cannot use span with a start line.

C. grid-column must use only numbers, not span.

D. The order of values in grid-column is incorrect; span should come second.

Solution

1. Step 1: Check grid-column syntax

   The correct syntax is start / end or start / span count. Here, span 2 / 4 is reversed; span should be second.

2. Step 2: Check grid-row syntax

   grid-row: 1 / span 3; is correct syntax to start at line 1 and span 3 rows.

3. Final Answer:

   The order of values in grid-column is incorrect; span should come second. -> Option D

4. Quick Check:

   Span always follows start line [OK]

Hint: Start line first, then span count in grid placement [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Placing span before start line
• Mixing up grid-column and grid-row syntax
• Assuming span can be first value

5. You want a grid item to start at column 2 and span 3 columns, but your grid has only 4 columns total. Which CSS is correct and will not cause layout issues?

hard

A. grid-column: 2 / 6;

B. grid-column: 2 / span 3;

C. grid-column: 2 / 4;

D. grid-column: span 3 / 2;

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand grid size and placement

   The grid has 4 columns, so column lines go from 1 to 5 (one more than columns).

2. Step 2: Check each option

   • A: grid-column: 2 / 6; tries to end at line 6, outside explicit grid (may create implicit tracks).
   • B: grid-column: 2 / 4; ends at line 4, spans columns 2-3 only (2 columns).
   • C: grid-column: 2 / span 3; starts at line 2, spans 3 columns to line 5, fits perfectly.
   • D: grid-column: span 3 / 2; has incorrect syntax (span cannot precede start).

3. Final Answer:

   grid-column: 2 / span 3; -> Option B

4. Quick Check:

   Start line then span within grid limits [OK]

Hint: Use 'start / span count' to stay inside grid boundaries [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Using end line beyond grid size
• Reversing span and start line
• Assuming grid lines equal columns