a few questionnaires

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a few questionnaires" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when referring to a small number of questionnaires, typically in contexts related to surveys or research. Example: "For our study, we distributed a few questionnaires to gather feedback from participants."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

7 human-written examples

A few questionnaires were administered by telephone.

BMC International Health and Human Rights

Only a few questionnaires had missing data.

Clinical Epidemiology

A few questionnaires with missing information on key variables were also excluded.

BMC Public Health

There are only a few questionnaires for organizational culture which are clinic-specific (e.g. Hospital Culture Questionnaire [ 43], The Hospital Culture Scale [ 44]), or used in a clinical setting [ 45].

BMC Health Services Research

By contrast, a few questionnaires such as the Social Responsiveness Scale-Adult version (SRS-A) [ 15], or the Autism Spectrum Disorder in Adults Screening Questionnaire [ 16] must be completed by another adult (e.g., family member, close friend, or professional).

BMC Psychiatry

In addition, we were concerned that the mean site level barrier score might be a biased estimate of the true site average if only a few questionnaires were completed at a site, therefore we conducted a sensitivity analysis by running models excluding ICUs with less than 10 completed barrier questionnaires.

BMC Health Services Research

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

53 human-written examples

Third a few questionnaire items used technical terms that were not widely understood and yielded uninterpretable data.

BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth

In this review, 48.3% of the selected studies only evaluated PRP treatment's efficacy with a few questionnaire-reported or subjective measures, as opposed to the ideal multifaceted evaluation; therefore, they were classified as having poor outcome measures.

BMC Veterinary Research

The ARMS is a validated instrument (one of the few questionnaires which were validated using at least two different external criteria and, among them, at least one was a clinical outcome).

BMC Health Services Research

There are a few validated questionnaires such as the ID migraine to diagnose migraine, and the migraine disability assessment score (MIDAS) to assess disability in the last 3 months, but there is no comprehensive questionnaire to assess migraine associated burden.

The Journal of Headache and Pain

Therefore, as a contingency plan, interviewers carried a few paper questionnaires and extra batteries to use as needed.

Global health, science and practice

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "a few questionnaires", ensure that the context clearly indicates why the small number is relevant (e.g., a pilot study, a specific subset of participants).

Common error

Avoid using "a few questionnaires" when the actual number is substantial, as this can mislead readers about the scope and validity of the data.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a few questionnaires" functions as a determiner phrase modifying the noun "questionnaires". It specifies an indefinite but small quantity. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's a usable phrase in written English. This is seen across multiple research contexts.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

100%

Less common in

News & Media

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "a few questionnaires" is a grammatically correct and common way to describe a small number of survey forms, particularly within scientific and research contexts. As Ludwig AI states, it’s appropriate for indicating a limited sample size or when discussing data collection limitations. While other phrases like "several questionnaires" or "a small number of questionnaires" exist, "a few questionnaires" provides a straightforward and generally acceptable option.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

several questionnaires

Replaces "a few" with "several", indicating a slightly larger, but still indefinite, quantity.

a small number of questionnaires

Replaces "a few" with a more explicit description of quantity, emphasizing the limited amount.

just a few questionnaires

Adds emphasis on the smallness of the quantity using "just".

only a few questionnaires

Similar to "just a few", highlighting the limited nature of the quantity.

a handful of questionnaires

Offers a more informal alternative, suggesting a readily manageable quantity.

some questionnaires

Provides a more general and less specific indication of quantity than "a few".

a limited number of questionnaires

Stresses the restriction in quantity, which is more forceful than "a few".

a couple of questionnaires

Indicates a more precise number (approximately two) compared to the vagueness of "a few".

a scattering of questionnaires

Implies a less organized or structured distribution of a small number of questionnaires.

a sparse number of questionnaires

Emphasizes the scarcity or infrequency of questionnaires.

FAQs

How can I use "a few questionnaires" in a research paper?

Use "a few questionnaires" to describe a small sample size or a limited distribution of surveys, as in, "A few questionnaires were excluded due to incomplete data."

What's a more formal alternative to "a few questionnaires"?

For a more formal tone, consider using "a small number of questionnaires" or "several questionnaires" depending on the specific context and desired level of precision.

Is it appropriate to use "a few questionnaires" in business writing?

While acceptable, using a more precise term might be preferable in formal business contexts. Consider options such as "a limited number of questionnaires" if the exact quantity is known or relevant.

When should I avoid using the phrase "a few questionnaires"?

Avoid using "a few questionnaires" if the number is significantly larger than what the phrase implies. If the number of questionnaires is substantial, opt for terms like "many questionnaires" or "a significant number of questionnaires".