handful of comments

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "handful of comments" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to refer to a small number of comments or feedback on a particular topic or piece of work. Example: "After reviewing the document, I received a handful of comments from my colleagues that I need to address."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

10 human-written examples

It is interesting to read that the Copyright Office only got a handful of comments to its July 15 notice.

Stanford University

Investors are left parsing a handful of comments in which he has expressed some doubts on the benefits and concern about the consequences of the Fed's policies.

The New York Times

He added: "We have received only a handful of comments [about the lecture], and the majority of those are supporting free speech".

The Guardian

But of course because I am now a 'banker' I am a sociopath/bankster/cannibal and thats just the first handful of comments.

The Guardian - Opinion

But in a week which saw a record response to the latest volley in the God debate, and considerable comment on the excellent posts marking the anniversary of the Six-day War, despite more than 24 hours on the front page, the Dowden-Lawson face-off attracted only a handful of comments.

The Guardian - Opinion

While only a handful of comments have popped up this week, they fall into two camps: Those who earnestly want to warn consumers that Singer is, in fact, a crook ("This guy is a criminal," reads a one-star review. "He was just arrested for running a scam to get your kid into a fancy college with bribes"). and those who want to have a little fun at the author's expense.

The Washington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

50 human-written examples

At the meeting Thursday, which lasted more than three hours, speakers voiced concerns about a series of environmental issues, but there were only a handful of critical comments on Mr. Dudley's pay package.

The New York Times

"What is happening here is the establishment are singling out a handful of unpleasant comments made by Ukip people and yet the other parties do these things and say these things it would appear with impunity.

Independent

The difference between Sharknado 2, which aired on Wednesday night, and Lucy is that we can talk about Sharknado with our friends on Twitter (and to a lesser extent Facebook) – whereas with Lucy we are confined by that social contract that only allows us a handful of whispered comments before getting shushed by those around us in the dark.

The Guardian - TV & Radio

After a handful of public comments that seemed to put him at odds with administration policy, Paul O'Neill found himself looped out of the planning for a major economic conference, Ron Suskind recounted in "The Price of Loyalty," his 2004 biography of President George W. Bush's first Treasury secretary.

The Washington Post

"I received a handful of short comments [from my talk] and had maybe one e-mail exchange," Horányi recalls.

Science Magazine

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "handful of comments" when you want to emphasize that the feedback received was limited, but still worth acknowledging. It's more descriptive than simply saying "few comments".

Common error

Avoid using "handful of comments" when you actually received a significant amount of feedback. Using it to describe a large number diminishes the impact of the phrase and can mislead your audience.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "handful of comments" functions as a quantifier followed by a noun. It modifies the noun "comments", indicating a small quantity. Ludwig confirms that it is correct and frequently found.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

75%

Academia

15%

Science

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "handful of comments" is a common and grammatically correct way to describe a small amount of feedback or opinions. As Ludwig AI indicates, it is mostly used in News & Media and Academia, with a neutral tone suitable for general communication. When you are describing a small amount of feedback that you want to emphasize, this is the right pick. Alternatives such as "few comments" or "small number of comments" may be more suitable for formal contexts.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

few comments

This is a direct synonym, emphasizing the small number of comments.

small number of comments

This is a more formal and explicit way of indicating a limited quantity of comments.

limited comments

This highlights the restricted or scarce nature of the comments.

scant comments

This emphasizes the inadequacy or insufficiency of the comments received.

sparse comments

This suggests that the comments are thinly distributed or not abundant.

sprinkling of comments

This paints a picture of comments being scattered and infrequent.

smattering of comments

This indicates a small, superficial amount of comments.

modest comments

This implies that comments received are of limited amount.

a couple of comments

Suggests only two or three comments.

several comments

Suggests more comments than just a few.

FAQs

How can I use "handful of comments" in a sentence?

You can use "handful of comments" to indicate that there were a small number of responses. For example, "We received a handful of comments after the presentation, mostly positive".

What's a more formal alternative to "handful of comments"?

A more formal alternative would be "small number of comments" or "limited feedback".

What can I say instead of "handful of comments" to emphasize negativity?

If the existing comments are negative, you might say "a "spattering of criticism"".

Is it appropriate to use "handful of comments" in academic writing?

While acceptable, "handful of comments" might be considered slightly informal for academic writing. Consider alternatives like "limited number of responses" or "few observations" for a more scholarly tone.