<?php
$var = 8;

// Inline variable parsing
echo "I'd like {$var} mangoes"; // = "I'd like 8 mangoes

// String concatenation
echo "I'd like ".$var." mangoes"; // I'd like 8 mangoes

// Explicit cast
$items = (string)$var; // $items === "8";

// Function call
$items = strval($var); // $items === "8";