What are attributes in HTML - Hands-On Activity

Understanding HTML Attributes

📖 Scenario: You are creating a simple webpage to introduce yourself. You want to add extra information to your HTML tags to make your page more meaningful and accessible.

🎯 Goal: Build a basic HTML page that uses attributes to add details to elements like links and images.

📋 What You'll Learn

Create an HTML skeleton with html, head, and body tags

Add a title inside the head

Add an img tag with src and alt attributes

Add an a (link) tag with href and target attributes

Use attributes correctly inside the opening tags

💡 Why This Matters

🌍 Real World

Webpages use attributes to provide important details about elements, like where images come from or where links go.

💼 Career

Understanding attributes is essential for creating accessible, well-structured websites and for working with web developers and designers.

1

Create the basic HTML structure

Write the basic HTML skeleton with html, head, and body tags. Inside head, add a title tag with the text My First Page.

HTML

Hint

Remember the basic HTML page starts with <!DOCTYPE html> and has <html>, <head>, and <body> tags.

2

Add an image with attributes

Inside the body, add an img tag with the src attribute set to "profile.jpg" and the alt attribute set to "My profile picture".

HTML

    My First Page


    

Hint

The img tag needs src to show the image and alt to describe it for screen readers.

3

Add a link with attributes

Below the image, add an a tag with the href attribute set to "https://example.com" and the target attribute set to "_blank". The link text should be Visit Example.

HTML

    My First Page


    
    

Hint

The a tag creates a link. Use href for the URL and target="_blank" to open it in a new tab.

4

Add a heading with a class attribute

Above the image, add an h1 heading with the text Welcome to My Page and add a class attribute with the value main-title.

HTML

    My First Page


    
    
    Visit Example

Hint

The class attribute helps identify elements for styling or scripting. Add it inside the opening h1 tag.

Practice

1. What is the main purpose of attributes in HTML elements?

easy

A. To add extra information or settings to elements

B. To create new HTML elements

C. To write comments inside HTML

D. To link CSS files to the HTML

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand what attributes do

   Attributes provide extra details or settings inside an element's opening tag.

2. Step 2: Compare options with attribute purpose

   Only To add extra information or settings to elements correctly describes adding extra information or settings to elements.

3. Final Answer:

   To add extra information or settings to elements -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Attributes add details = B [OK]

Hint: Attributes add info inside tags, not create elements [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Confusing attributes with creating elements
• Thinking attributes are for comments
• Mixing attributes with linking CSS

2. Which of the following is the correct way to add an attribute to an HTML element?

easy

A. Content

B. Content

C. Content

D.

Solution

1. Step 1: Check attribute syntax rules

   Attributes go inside the opening tag with name="value" or name='value'.

2. Step 2: Identify correct syntax among options

   <div id='main'>Content</div> uses correct syntax: <div id='main'>. Others have syntax errors.

3. Final Answer:

   <div id='main'>Content</div> -> Option C

4. Quick Check:

   Correct attribute syntax = C [OK]

Hint: Attributes need name='value' inside opening tag [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Using dashes instead of equals sign
• Putting quotes around attribute name
• Missing quotes around attribute value

3. What will the following HTML code display in the browser?

<img src='flower.jpg' alt='A red flower'>

medium

A. An image of a red flower with alt text shown if image fails

B. Only the text 'A red flower' will show

C. Nothing will show because img needs a closing tag

D. An error message will appear in the browser

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand img tag and attributes

   The img tag shows an image from src attribute; alt text shows if image can't load.

2. Step 2: Predict browser behavior

   Browser displays the image if available; alt text only appears if image fails to load.

3. Final Answer:

   An image of a red flower with alt text shown if image fails -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   img src shows image, alt is fallback text = A [OK]

Hint: img shows image; alt text is fallback description [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Thinking alt text always shows
• Believing img needs closing tag
• Expecting error for missing closing tag

4. Find the error in this HTML snippet:

<a href='page.html' target='_blank>Visit page</a>

medium

A. href attribute is misspelled

B. Missing closing quote for target attribute value

C. Anchor tag cannot have attributes

D. The link text is missing

Solution

1. Step 1: Check attribute syntax carefully

   The target attribute value '_blank' is missing the closing quote before the >.

2. Step 2: Confirm other parts are correct

   href is spelled correctly, anchor tags can have attributes, and link text is present.

3. Final Answer:

   Missing closing quote for target attribute value -> Option B

4. Quick Check:

   Attribute values need quotes closed = A [OK]

Hint: Always close quotes around attribute values [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Ignoring missing quotes
• Thinking attributes can't have quotes
• Confusing attribute names

5. You want to make a button that is disabled and has a tooltip saying 'Not clickable'. Which attributes should you add to the button element?

hard

A. Click me

B. Click me

C. Click me

D. Click me

Solution

1. Step 1: Identify correct attribute for disabling button

   The 'disabled' attribute disables the button when present without value or with value 'disabled'.

2. Step 2: Identify correct attribute for tooltip

   The 'title' attribute shows a tooltip on hover with the given text.

3. Final Answer:

   <button disabled title='Not clickable'>Click me</button> -> Option D

4. Quick Check:

   disabled disables, title shows tooltip = D [OK]

Hint: Use 'disabled' and 'title' attributes for button and tooltip [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Using wrong attribute names like 'disable' or 'tooltip'
• Setting disabled='false' which does not disable
• Confusing alt with title attribute