Which HTML5 attribute provides a hint about the expected input in a textarea?

• A. The placeholder attribute
• B. The pattern attribute
• C. The title attribute
• D. The required attribute

Answer: (A)

Providing a hint about what to type in a textarea is handled by the placeholder attribute. When the textarea is empty, placeholder text appears inside the box in a lighter color to suggest the expected content (for example, “Enter your message here”). This is purely a hint and disappears as soon as the user starts typing. The other attributes have different roles: pattern sets a validation rule that the input must match a regex; title shows extra information as a tooltip or for accessibility; and required makes the field mandatory before form submission. So placeholder is the best choice for indicating the expected input in a textarea. Remember to pair it with a visible label for accessibility, since placeholder text alone isn’t a reliable replacement for labeling.