MODE.SNGL Function

Summary

MODE.SNGL returns the number that appears most often in a set of values. If one number repeats more than the others, that repeated number is the result.

This makes the function useful for lists where the most common choice matters more than the average. Ratings, scores, product IDs, response codes, and time slots are all good examples because you usually want to know what shows up most, not what the arithmetic mean is.

MODE.SNGL is useful when the workbook needs one representative most-frequent value. It gives a simpler answer than MODE.MULT, which makes it practical in basic summaries where one modal result is enough for the report.

Syntax

=MODE.SNGL(number1, [number2], ...)

You can pass numbers directly, use one range, or combine several ranges and values in the same formula.

Arguments

• number1 - [required] The first number, range, or reference to include.
• number2, ... - [optional] More numbers, ranges, or references. Excel allows up to 254 additional arguments.

MODE.SNGL vs Other Functions

If you are deciding between central-tendency functions, the easiest way is to ask what kind of answer you want.

Using the MODE.SNGL Function

MODE.SNGL is often the better choice when the values are categories stored as numbers. For example, if a store tracks shoe sizes as numbers, an average size may not tell you much, but the most common size tells you what customers buy most often. The same idea works for survey ratings, ticket codes, and repeated time slots.

Microsoft notes that when you use array or reference arguments, text, logical values, and blank cells are ignored, while zero is included. That means a range with numbers and some empty cells can still work fine. If the range contains no repeated numbers at all, the function returns #N/A because there is no mode to return.

One practical detail is the name itself. MODE.SNGL is the modern single-result version of the older MODE function. If you only want one result, this is the function to use. If you want all tied modes, switch to MODE.MULT.

Example 1 - Find the most common vote

Here the number 5 appears more often than the others, so that is the result.

=MODE.SNGL(B1:B3) // Returns the most common value in the range.

Example 2 - Use direct numbers in the formula

You do not always need a worksheet range. MODE.SNGL also works with typed values.

=MODE.SNGL(1,2,2,3) // Returns 2.

Example 3 - Pull the most common score from a list

This is useful for test results, ratings, and review scores when you want the value people picked most.

=MODE.SNGL(B1:B10) // Returns the repeated score that appears most often.

Example 4 - Find the busiest repeated hour

Repeated time values can show a pattern in activity. MODE.SNGL helps you pick out that repeated peak.

=MODE.SNGL(B1:B10) // Returns the most frequent hour in the range.

Conclusion Recap

MODE.SNGL is the modern function for finding one most common number in a list. This lesson showed that it works best when the repeated value itself is the thing you care about, like a popular score, a common rating, or the hour that shows up most often.

It is also important to know what it does not do. It does not return every tied result, and it does not work when nothing repeats. In those cases, you would switch to MODE.MULT or accept that there is no single mode in the data.

• Main job: MODE.SNGL returns one most frequent number.
• Best for repeated values: It works well for ratings, IDs, scores, and time blocks.
• Reference behavior: Text, logical values, and blanks are ignored, but zero is counted.
• No duplicates: If nothing repeats, the result is #N/A.
• Modern choice: MODE.SNGL is the current single-result version of MODE.
• Need all tied modes: Use MODE.MULT instead.