diff --git a/src/utils.py b/src/utils.py
index 081fd4ce0..64aac7ea8 100755
--- a/src/utils.py
+++ b/src/utils.py
@@ -309,6 +309,12 @@ def pluralize(i, s):
         else:
             return s + 's'
 
+def nItems(n, item, between=None):
+    if between is None:
+        return '%s %s' % (n, pluralize(n, item))
+    else:
+        return '%s %s %s' % (n, between, pluralize(n, item))
+
 def be(i):
     """Returns the form of the verb 'to be' based on the number i."""
     if i == 1:
diff --git a/test/test_utils.py b/test/test_utils.py
index 3cc5531c1..678aeefbc 100644
--- a/test/test_utils.py
+++ b/test/test_utils.py
@@ -170,5 +170,11 @@ class UtilsTest(unittest.TestCase):
         utils.sortBy(str.lower, L)
         self.assertEqual(L, ['abc', 'AD', 'z'])
         
+    def testNItems(self):
+        self.assertEqual(utils.nItems(1, 'tool', 'crazy'), '1 crazy tool')
+        self.assertEqual(utils.nItems(1, 'tool'), '1 tool')
+        self.assertEqual(utils.nItems(2, 'tool', 'crazy'), '2 crazy tools')
+        self.assertEqual(utils.nItems(2, 'tool'), '2 tools')
+
 # vim:set shiftwidth=4 tabstop=8 expandtab textwidth=78: