List-type answers can be used in two different ways. Most of the time, you want to insert the contents of the list into the form. To do that, click the List button and choose one of the built-in list formats: narrative text, repeating paragraphs, table format, or signature blocks. But on rare occasions you may want to insert information about the list, rather than the contents of the list. Do that by clicking the Field button and choosing either Count (inserts the number of items in the list) or Singular/Plural (inserts a word like is/are, was/were, or child/children, depending on whether or not the list contains more than one item).

For example, suppose you’re turning this sentence into a form: “I have two children: John and Mary.” First you would create a Q&A table with a list-type answer that asks for a list of kids. Then you would add a field in place of the word “two” (click Field, Count); add a field in place of the word “children” (click Field, Singular/Plural); and add a list in place of “John and Mary” (click List).

The rule of thumb is this: to insert a list, click List; to insert information about a list, click Field.

tags: child, children, singular, plural, count, list, contents