Template:Clarify span

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Wikipedia

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet,^[clarify]

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Usage

The {{clarify span}} template may be used when there is text that needs further explanation or clarification. Unlike the template {{clarify}}, this template attaches explicitly to a portion of text, for example one or more specific sentences, by surrounding the text with the template. This is especially useful for flagging multiple facts or multiple sentences as needing clarification, and for singling out a specific unclear fact among many.

Once the passage is clarified, please remove this template from the surrounded text.

{{clarify span|text=Passage(s) needing clarification|explain=Reason for the needed clarification|date=February 2026}}

The date and explain parameters are optional. The parameter names for |text= and |explain= can be omitted, as long as the text is in the first position, and the explanation is in the second. Therefore, the minimal syntax is:

{{clarify span|Passage(s) needing clarification}}

Example of usage:

... the treaty. {{clarify span|One of the terms|explain=which one?}} of the treaty of Versailles led to ...

produces:

... the treaty. One of the terms^[clarify] of the treaty of Versailles led to ...

Parameters

There are three parameters to the template:

|text=: The text needing clarification. This parameter is mandatory.
|explain=: Specifics explaining the clarification that is needed. If omitted, "This passage needs to be better explained" will be used. This text is shown as a tooltip.
|date=February 2026: Adds month & year to the category, as well as helping identify how long ago the template was added. If omitted, a bot will eventually add it for you.

Categorization of articles

Adding this template to an article places the article into the hidden categories Category:All Wikipedia articles needing clarification and Category:Wikipedia articles needing clarification from February 2026.

TemplateData

This is the TemplateData for this template used by TemplateWizard, VisualEditor and other tools. See a monthly parameter usage report for Template:Clarify span in articles based on its TemplateData.

TemplateData for Clarify span

No description.

Template parameters
Parameter		Description	Type	Status
text needing clarification	`1` `text`	The text needing clarification Example a vague sentence fragment	Unbalanced wikitext	required
Reason	`2` `reason` `explain`	An explanation as to why the text needs to be clarified Example It's unclear what "Green Army" means for unfamiliar readers	Unknown	optional
Month and year	`date`	no description Auto value `{{subst:CURRENTMONTHNAME}} {{subst:CURRENTYEAR}}`	String	suggested

{{By how much}} {{Definition}} {{Definition span}} {{Definition needed}} {{Example needed}} {{Example needed span}} {{Explain}} {{Explain-wrap}} {{From where}} {{How}} {{How often}} {{Misquoted}} {{More detail needed}} {{Of what}} {{Quantify}} {{Specify}} {{Vague}} {{When}} {{Where}} {{Where-geo}} {{Which}} {{Who else}} {{Why}} {{Year needed}}
Excessive	{{Duplication span}} {{Globalize inline}} {{Importance example}} {{Importance inline}} {{Infobox clutter}} {{List entry too long}} {{Long quote}} {{Off topic paragraph}} {{Off topic sentence}} {{Overly detailed inline}} {{Over-explained}} {{Relevance inline}} {{Undue weight inline}}

Time-sensitivity

Verifiability

Dubious	{{Contradictory inline}} {{Discuss}} {{Disputed inline}} {{Dubious}} {{Dubious span}} {{Inconsistent}} {{Needs independent confirmation}} {{Speculation inline}}
Bare URLs	{{Bare URL inline}} {{Bare URL AV media}} {{Bare URL DOC}} {{Bare URL image}} {{Bare URL non-HTML}} {{Bare URL PDF}} {{Bare URL plain text}} {{Bare URL spreadsheet}}
Incomplete or broken citation	{{Author incomplete}} {{Author missing}} {{Broken footnote}} {{Date missing}} {{Dead link}} {{Dead YouTube link}} {{Deep link needed}} {{Edition needed}} {{Episode needed}} {{Full citation needed}} {{Incomplete short citation}} {{ISBN missing}} {{Missing long citation}} {{Moved resource}} {{Page needed}} {{Pages needed}} {{Permanent dead link}} {{Place missing}} {{Publisher missing}} {{Season needed}} {{Time needed}} {{Title incomplete}} {{Title missing}} {{Unused source}} {{Volume needed}} {{Year missing}}
Missing or problematic reference	{{Additional citation needed}} {{AI-generated inline}} {{AI-generated source?}} {{AI-retrieved source}} {{Better source needed}} {{Better source needed example}} {{Check quotation}} {{Chronology citation needed}} {{Circular reference}} {{Circular reporting}} {{Citation needed}} {{Citation needed span}} {{Citation needed paragraph}} {{Citation not found}} {{Close paraphrasing inline}} {{COI source}} {{Deprecated inline}} {{Excessive citations inline}} {{Failed verification}} {{Failed verification span}} {{Image reference needed}} {{Independent source inline}} {{Irrelevant citation}} {{Marketing material}} {{Medical citation needed}} {{Medical citation needed span}} {{Misplaced footnote}} {{Nonspecific}} {{Not verified in body}} {{Not verified in body span}} {{Obsolete source}} {{Page range too broad}} {{Primary source inline}} {{Promotional source}} {{Quote without source}} {{Request quotation}} {{Request quotation span}} {{Retracted}} {{Scientific citation needed}} {{Self-published inline}} {{Self-published source}} {{Shallow reference inline}} {{Tertiary source inline}} {{Text-source inline}} {{Unreliable source?}} {{Unreliable fringe source}} {{Unreliable medical source}} {{Unreliable scientific source}} {{User-generated inline}} {{User-generated source}} {{Verify quote}} {{Verify source}} {{Whose quote}}

Wording

General advice

The above documentation is transcluded from Template:Clarify span/doc.
Editors can experiment in this template's sandbox and testcases pages.
Add categories to the /doc subpage. Subpages of this template.

Template:Clarify span

Usage

Parameters

Categorization of articles

TemplateData

See also