JSFiddle - React, Tailwind, and code Playground

HTML

<script src="https://code.jquery.com/jquery-3.2.1.min.js"></script>
<p>This is a test bla bla bla some more words</p>

CSS

span {
  border: 1px solid red;
}

span:hover {
  background-color:red;
  color:white;
}

JavaScript

var words = $("p").text().split(" ");
			$("p").empty();
			$.each(words, function(i, v) {
		    $("p").append($("<span class='newclass'>").text(v));
});