JSFiddle - React, Tailwind, and code Playground

HTML

<section>
<span>
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, in luctus, at eros nec turpis, malesuada massa vel purus nonummy, lorem quis neque,lorem quis neque, lorem quis zz.
</span>
<span>
Neque ac, ut nunc dui mattis sollicitudin arcu, sed sollicitudin scelerisque enim a. 
</span>
<span>
Praesent sit urna ipsum, tortor integer elit in convallis pulvinar mauris.  
</span>
</section>

CSS

section{
        width:500px;
        float:left;
        font:14px;
    }
    .first-two-words { 
        font-style:italic;
        white-space: nowrap;
    }

JavaScript

$('span').each(function() {
        var words = $(this).html();
        var n = words.split(" ");   
        var i = n[0]+n[1];
        index = i.length + 1;
        $(this).html('<span class="first-two-words">' + words.substring(0, index) + '</span>' + words.substring(index, words.length));
    });