diff --git a/src/core/CCFormat.ml b/src/core/CCFormat.ml
index 3ec8956a..e3946688 100644
--- a/src/core/CCFormat.ml
+++ b/src/core/CCFormat.ml
@@ -12,6 +12,19 @@ type 'a printer = t -> 'a -> unit
 
 let silent _fmt _ = ()
 
+let return fmt_str out () = Format.fprintf out "%(%)" fmt_str
+
+(*$inject
+  let to_string_test s = CCFormat.sprintf_no_color "@[<h>%a@]%!" s ()
+*)
+
+(*$= & ~printer:(fun s->CCFormat.sprintf "%S" s)
+  "a b" (to_string_test (return "a@ b"))
+  ", " (to_string_test (return ",@ "))
+  "and then" (to_string_test (return "@{<Red>and then@}@,"))
+  "a b" (to_string_test (return "@[<h>a@ b@]"))
+*)
+
 let unit fmt () = Format.pp_print_string fmt "()"
 let int fmt i = Format.pp_print_string fmt (string_of_int i)
 let string = Format.pp_print_string
@@ -114,6 +127,14 @@ let hbox pp out x =
   pp out x;
   Format.pp_close_box out ()
 
+let of_to_string f out x = Format.pp_print_string out (f x)
+
+let const pp x out () = pp out x
+
+let some pp out = function
+  | None -> ()
+  | Some x -> pp out x
+
 (** {2 IO} *)
 
 let output fmt pp x = pp fmt x
diff --git a/src/core/CCFormat.mli b/src/core/CCFormat.mli
index dce09267..ff9f7119 100644
--- a/src/core/CCFormat.mli
+++ b/src/core/CCFormat.mli
@@ -15,6 +15,8 @@ type 'a printer = t -> 'a -> unit
 val silent : 'a printer (** Prints nothing *)
 
 val unit : unit printer
+(** Prints "()" *)
+
 val int : int printer
 val string : string printer
 val bool : bool printer
@@ -75,6 +77,33 @@ val hbox : 'a printer -> 'a printer
 (** Wrap the printer in an horizontal box
     @since 0.16 *)
 
+val return : ('a, _, _, 'a) format4 -> unit printer
+(** [return "some_format_string"] takes a argument-less format string
+    and returns a printer actionable by [()].
+    Examples:
+    - [return ",@ "]
+    - [return "@{<Red>and then@}@,"]
+    - [return "@[<v>a@ b@]"]
+
+    @since NEXT_RELEASE
+*)
+
+val of_to_string : ('a -> string) -> 'a printer
+(** [of_to_string f] converts its input to a string using [f],
+    then prints the string
+    @since NEXT_RELEASE *)
+
+val const : 'a printer -> 'a -> unit printer
+(** [const pp x] is a unit printer that uses [pp] on [x]
+    @since NEXT_RELEASE *)
+
+val some : 'a printer -> 'a option printer
+(** [some pp] will print options as follows:
+    - [Some x] is printed using [pp] on [x]
+    - [None] is not printed at all
+    @since NEXT_RELEASE
+*)
+
 (** {2 ANSI codes}
 
   Use ANSI escape codes https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ANSI_escape_code