diff --git a/xwords4/android/scripts/strings_check.sh b/xwords4/android/scripts/strings_check.sh
index 574a110df..3f44f4b74 100755
--- a/xwords4/android/scripts/strings_check.sh
+++ b/xwords4/android/scripts/strings_check.sh
@@ -4,18 +4,25 @@ set -u -e
 
 declare -A ENG_IDS
 LOCS=""
+LIST_ONLY=""
+PAIRS_ONLY=""
 SEARCH_SOURCE=1
 
-ENG=~/dev/git/ANDROID_BRANCH/xwords4/android/XWords4/res/values/strings.xml
+# ENG=~/dev/git/ANDROID_BRANCH/xwords4/android/XWords4/res/values/strings.xml
 
 usage() {
-    echo "usage: $0 [--loc <path_to_strings.xml>]*" >&2
+    echo "usage: $0 (--loc <path_to_strings.xml>)+ [--list-only] [--pairs-only]" >&2
     exit 1
 }
 
 list_ids() {
     XML_FILE=$1
-    xmlstarlet sel -T -t -m "/resources/string" -v @name -o " " $XML_FILE
+    xmlstarlet sel -T -t -m "/resources/string" -v @name -n $XML_FILE
+}
+
+list_pairs() {
+    XML_FILE=$1
+    xmlstarlet sel -T -t -m "/resources/string" -v "concat(.,'|')" -n $XML_FILE
 }
 
 while [ $# -gt 0 ]; do
@@ -26,6 +33,12 @@ while [ $# -gt 0 ]; do
             LOCS="$LOCS $2"
             shift
             ;;
+        --list-only)
+            LIST_ONLY=1
+            ;;
+        --pairs-only)
+            PAIRS_ONLY=1
+            ;;
         *)
             usage
             ;;
@@ -33,9 +46,27 @@ while [ $# -gt 0 ]; do
     shift
 done
 
+[ -n "$LOCS" ] || usage
+
+if [ -n "$LIST_ONLY" ]; then
+    for LOC in $LOCS; do
+        list_ids $LOC
+    done
+    exit 0
+fi
+
+if [ -n "$PAIRS_ONLY" ]; then
+    for LOC in $LOCS; do
+        list_pairs $LOC
+    done
+    exit 0
+fi
+
 # echo "checking $ENG for ids not in any .java file"
-for ID in $(list_ids $ENG); do
-    ENG_IDS[$ID]=1
+for LOC in $LOCS; do
+    for ID in $(list_ids $LOC); do
+        ENG_IDS[$ID]=1
+    done
 done
 
 if [ -n "$SEARCH_SOURCE" ]; then