<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
  <head>
    <style>
      #outermost { border: 2px solid; }
      #outer { border: 4px solid yellow; }
      #inner { border: 6px sold green; }
    </style>
  </head>
  <body>
    <span id="outermost">
      <span id="outer">
        <span id="inner">
          <span style="display: block"></span>
          before span
          <span style="display: block">span</span>
          after span
        </span>
      </span>
    </span>
  </body>
</html>