<?php
// define string
$text = "The film begins with the Joker robbing a mob-owned bank with several other accomplices, whom he tricks into killing each other. That night, Batman impersonators attempt to interrupt a meeting of various mobsters and the Scarecrow. The real Batman appears, but suffers injuries which lead him to re-design the batsuit. Batman and Lieutenant James Gordon contemplate including new district attorney Harvey Dent in their plan to eradicate the mob, as he could be the public hero Batman cannot be. Bruce discovers that Harvey Dent is dating Rachel Dawes. Mob bosses meet to discuss Batman, Gordon, and Dent, while a Chinese mobster accountant, Lau, informs the gang leaders he has hidden their money to preempt a plan that Gordon has hatched to seize the mobsters' loot. The Joker arrives unexpectedly, offering to kill Batman for half their money.";
// decompose the string into an array of "words"
$words = preg_split('/[^0-9A-Za-z\']+/', $text, -1, PREG_SPLIT_NO_EMPTY);
// count number of words (elements) in array
// result: "139 words"
echo count($words) . " words";
?>

<?php
// define comma-separated list
$menu = "butter, milk, sugar, salt, flour, caramel";
// decompose string into array
// using comma as delimiter
$menu = explode(", ", $menu);
// iterate over array
// print individual elements
foreach ($menu as $i) {
echo $i . "<br />";
}
?>