a couple more seconds

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a couple more seconds" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when asking for a brief additional amount of time before an action is taken or a decision is made. Example: "Can you wait a couple more seconds while I finish this task?"

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

10 human-written examples

"With direct mail, you have maybe a couple more seconds to get someone's attention".

The New York Times

I pick up, wait a couple more seconds, and there's her wonderful voice, asking when I'm coming home.

The New York Times

There are plenty of more subtle ways to effect a race result: hold Massa in the pits for a couple more seconds, tell Massa he needs to switch to a fuel saving mode, etc. Ferrari don't seem to care or realise how negative the fans' reaction to such simplistic cheating is.

The Guardian - Sport

Now if you'll allow me a couple more seconds, here is something that is really ironic about the multiverse theory.

Huffington Post

"He decided the audience needed a couple more seconds to drink it in," said Marty Stock, management director at Coors' advertising agency, Foote, Cone & Belding-Chicago.

Los Angeles Times

I stared at her for a couple more seconds before accepting that my evening as a master pickup artist/home wrecker had been an utter failure.

Vice

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

50 human-written examples

Even one more converted score allied to a couple more first-half penalties in Rome would have made a potentially massive difference to the overall equation.

The Guardian - Sport

The A's got a couple of hits in the first inning, a couple more in the second; Randy Velarde smacked a two-run single, cutting the Yankees' lead to 6-2.

The New York Times - Sports

He's 6 feet tall, claims 220 pounds but probably weighs a couple more, has 4.49-second speed in the 40-yard dash, broke a long touchdown run in his first game as a freshman, rushed for more than 1,000 yards last season, hails from San Diego, thought hard about going to UCLA and drives a sports utility vehicle, which is the transportation choice of Collegiate California.

Los Angeles Times

"I thought we were very clinical today again and we might have had a couple more in the first half.

BBC

"Early in the morning the ball does a little bit and hopefully we can use that to our advantage and nip out a couple more, so the first two hours will be very important".

BBC

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "a couple more seconds" when requesting or granting a very short delay, suitable for informal conversations or situations where precision isn't critical.

Common error

Avoid using "a couple more seconds" in highly formal or professional settings where precise timeframes are expected. Instead, opt for more specific durations or formal phrases like "a few additional moments".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a couple more seconds" functions as an adverbial phrase modifying a verb or clause, indicating a short duration of time. Ludwig confirms its usability, showing it is typically employed to specify or request a brief extension.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Wiki

40%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Science

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "a couple more seconds" is a common and generally correct phrase used to indicate or request a brief amount of additional time. Ludwig's AI affirms its grammatical validity and practical use across various contexts, with a slightly informal tone. While prevalent in news and media, it's less common in formal or academic writing where more precise or formal language might be preferred. Alternatives like "a few more moments" or specifying the exact time (e.g., "ten seconds") can be used for enhanced clarity and formality.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a few more seconds

Uses "few" instead of "couple", implying a slightly less precise duration.

a second or two more

More explicit about the duration but still very short.

a brief moment longer

Replaces the specific time frame with a more general expression of time.

just a little longer

Emphasizes the short duration with "just" and uses "longer" as a relative term.

a short while longer

Substitutes "couple more seconds" with "short while", indicating a brief duration.

wait a moment longer

Focuses on the act of waiting and uses a general time reference.

give it a few ticks

Uses an informal and less precise measurement of time.

hold on briefly

Highlights the action of holding and implies a short amount of time.

hang on a moment

Similar to "hold on briefly", but with slightly more casual tone.

permit me a little more time

More formal request for a small extension of time.

FAQs

How can I use "a couple more seconds" in a sentence?

You can use "a couple more seconds" to ask someone to wait, as in, "Can you give me "a couple more seconds" to finish this?" or to indicate a brief delay, such as, "The download will take "a couple more seconds"."

What are some alternatives to "a couple more seconds"?

Alternatives include "a few more moments", "a little extra time", or "just a moment", depending on the context.

Is it appropriate to use "a couple more seconds" in a formal email?

While generally acceptable, using a more formal phrase like "a brief delay" or specifying the time more precisely (e.g., "approximately ten seconds") might be preferable in formal communications.

What's the difference between "a couple more seconds" and "a few more seconds"?

The difference is negligible. Both phrases refer to a short amount of time. "A couple more seconds" often implies slightly more precision (around two seconds), while "a few more seconds" is a bit more vague.