' . sprintf('%s - %d', $string, $number) . ''; echo \sprintf('%s - %d', $string, $number), 'text', sprintf('%s - %d', $string, $number); echo 'text' . sprintf('%s - %d', $string, $number); echo sprintf('%s - %d', $string, $number), \sprintf('%s - %d', $string, $number); /* * The issue. */ echo sprintf('%s - %d', $string, $number); echo \sprintf( '%s', $string, ) ?>