Template:Plural/doc

This template allows easy formatting of statements of the form "# thing(s)", with correct use of plurals. It uses the "plural" magic word, so it should work in other languages with minimal modification.

Usage

With a space between the number and name (using numeric character reference  ):

• {{plural|number|name}}
• {{plural|number|singular name|plural name}}

With a non-breaking space between the number and name (using character entity reference  ):

• {{plural|number|name|nb=yes}}
• {{plural|number|singular name|plural name|nb=yes}}

Examples

For most English nouns, the plural is formed by adding "s" to the end of the singular form. If that is the case, only one "name" parameter is required:

• {{plural|0|page}} returns "0 pages"
• {{plural|1|page}} returns "1 page"
• {{plural|2|page}} returns "2 pages"
• {{plural|-1|page}} returns "-1 page"
• {{plural|-2|page}} returns "-2 pages"
• {{plural|0.5|page}} returns "0.5 pages"
• {{plural|1.5|page}} returns "1.5 pages"
• {{plural|-0.5|page}} returns "-0.5 pages"
• {{plural|-1.5|page}} returns "-1.5 pages"

For plurals that require adding "es", or more unusual forms, the singular and plural forms must be specified explicitly:

• {{plural|0|ox|oxen}} returns "0 oxen"
• {{plural|1|ox|oxen}} returns "1 ox"
• {{plural|2|ox|oxen}} returns "2 oxen"
• {{plural|-1|ox|oxen}} returns "-1 ox"
• {{plural|-2|ox|oxen}} returns "-2 oxen"
• {{plural|0.5|ox|oxen}} returns "0.5 oxen"
• {{plural|1.5|ox|oxen}} returns "1.5 oxen"
• {{plural|-0.5|ox|oxen}} returns "-0.5 oxen"
• {{plural|-1.5|ox|oxen}} returns "-1.5 oxen"

With parameter |nb=:

• <div style="width:5em">{{plural|2|sesquipedalian|nb=yes}}</div> returns:
  2 sesquipedalians
• <div style="width:5em">{{plural|2|sesquipedalian|nb=no}}</div> returns:
  2 sesquipedalians

Notes

• While {{plural|#|sheep|sheep}} is valid, it is also fairly pointless.
• The template does not handle missing parameters 1 or 2: {{plural}} returns "{{{1}}} {{{2}}}s"
• The template does not handle empty parameters 1 or 2: {{plural||}} returns " s"
• The template does not remove leading or trailing spaces in parameters 1 or 2: {{plural | 2 | page }} returns " 2 page s"

TemplateData

This is the TemplateData for this template used by TemplateWizard, VisualEditor and other tools. Click here to see a monthly parameter usage report for this template based on this TemplateData.

TemplateData for Plural

Allows easy formatting of statements using plural.

Template parameters

Parameter		Description	Type	Status
Number	1	The number of items: 0, 1, 2 etc.	Number	required
Singular name	2	The text to use when one item is specified	String	required
plural name	3	The text to use when two or more items are specified. The default is to append the singular form with 's'.	String	optional
4	4	no description	Unknown	optional
nb	nb	no description	Unknown	optional

See also

• {{R from plural}}
• {{R to plural}}
• {{Singular}}
• {{Singular and plural}}