Can I use a span tag outside a p?

Question

I was placing some icon fonts inside a link and then i asked myself: is semantically correct to use a span tag outside a p one?

In example

<a href="http://fb.com">
    <span class="my-icon-font">link</span>
</a>

Answer 1

From a semantic perspective, a span really doesn't mean much. It's just a marker for some inline content.

From a technical perspective, a span can go anywhere that you have an inline display context, which basically means anywhere at all (since HTML allows you to have inline elements in the same context as block elements).

It certainly isn't limited to being inside a p tag. It can go pretty much anywhere.

Answer 2

The short answer is NO

You can read these two section

span element

Contexts in which this element can be used: Where phrasing content is expected.

p element

Contexts in which this element can be used: Where flow content is expected.

Content model: Phrasing content.

A span just allows phrasing content element inside it while a p is an flow content element. However, a p can contains a span.