<div id="posts">
<?php
// define query arguments
$args = array(
'posts_per_page' => 8, // your 'x' goes here
'nopaging' = true
// possibly more arguments here
);
// set up new query
$tyler_query = new WP_Query( $args );
// loop through found posts
while ( $tyler_query->have_posts() ) : $tyler_query->the_post();
echo '<section class="post">'.
'<h2><a href="'.
get_permalink().
'">'.
get_the_title().
'</a></h2><p>'.
get_the_excerpt().
'</p></section>';
endwhile;
// reset post data
wp_reset_postdata();
?>
</div>
By default an excerpt is 55 words long. For a custom excerpt length drop the following in your theme’s functions.php:
function tyler_excerpt_length( $length ) {
return 70; // change number of words to your liking
}
add_filter( 'excerpt_length', 'tyler_excerpt_length' );
If your not satisfied with the default “Continue reading” link at the end of the excerpt, drop this into functions.php:
function tyler_excerpt_more( $more ) {
return 'Read the whole post >>'; // again, change to your liking
}
add_filter( 'excerpt_more', 'tyler_excerpt_more' );
If, since you have the post link in the title, you want the excerpt’s “more” link not to display, have the above function return an empty string, i.e. return '';
.
Further reading: