feedback
noun
What feedback means
Comments about someone’s work or actions that tell them what was good and what could be better.
Thanks for the feedback on my presentation.
Could I get some feedback on this draft?
Test yourself
Five questions about feedback
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Question 1 of 5Meaning
What does feedback mean?
Feedback is what people tell you after they look at your work: what you did well and what you could improve next time.
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Question 2 of 5Situation
After your talk, your manager tells you which slides worked well and which ones were too long. She is giving you…
Telling someone what was good and what could be better is giving them feedback. Commission and overtime are kinds of pay, and initiative is your own ability to act.
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Question 3 of 5Gap
We send every customer a short survey because their ___ helps us improve the service.
A survey collects what customers think about the service, the good points and the bad ones, and those comments are feedback.
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Question 4 of 5Word partner
Which verb goes with feedback? Could you ___ me some feedback on my draft?
In English you give, get or ask for feedback. Make, do and tell are not used with it, even though some languages use a verb like make here.
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Question 5 of 5Correct use
Which sentence uses feedback correctly?
Feedback is uncountable, so it has no plural and does not take a or an. It is a noun, so you give someone feedback instead of using it as a verb.
Keys 1 to 4 pick an answer, Enter goes on.
Feedback in a sentence
5 more examples of feedback in everyday situations.
- At work
My manager gives feedback every Friday, which helps me improve quickly.
- Online shopping
Please leave feedback for the seller after your order arrives.
- At school
The teacher’s feedback on my essay was short but very useful.
- In a survey
We’d love your feedback on our new menu; it takes two minutes.
- Hard conversations
Negative feedback is hard to hear, but it often helps the most.
How to use feedback
Feedback is uncountable. Say “some feedback” or “a piece of feedback”, never “feedbacks”.
You give, get or ask for feedback. It can be positive (“Great job”) or constructive (“Try shorter slides”).
Forms
- no pluraluncountable noun
- a piece of feedbackfor one comment
Patterns
- give someone feedback on something
- get / receive feedback
- positive / negative / honest feedback
- a piece of feedback
Common mistakes with feedback
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NotI need some feedbacks on my essay.
SayI need some feedback on my essay.
Feedback is uncountable, so it never takes an -s. Say some feedback or a piece of feedback instead.
Feedback or criticism or review?
- feedback or criticism
- Criticism usually focuses on what is wrong and can sound negative; feedback includes both what was good and what could be better, and is meant to help.
- feedback or review
- A review is a written opinion, often public, like a product or film review; feedback is any comment that helps the person improve, often private.
Feedback is a B2 word. Is that your level? Take the level test or count the words you know.
Feedback word family and collocations
The words that go with feedback, so you can use it in a whole phrase.
Common collocations
- give feedback
- positive feedback
- constructive feedback
- ask for feedback
- customer feedback
Word family
- feedback (noun)
Similar words
- comments
- response
Questions about feedback
Is feedback countable?
No, feedback is uncountable. Say some feedback or a lot of feedback, not a feedback or feedbacks. For one comment you can say a piece of feedback.
Feedback on or feedback about?
Both are used, but feedback on is the most common: feedback on my presentation. You give feedback to a person: she gave feedback to the team.
Is feedback a verb?
In standard English it is only a noun. Instead of feedback something, say give feedback on it.
Yesterday’s word
Do you still remember tolerate?
One question about the word from 20 October. Remembering a word a day later helps it stay.
One question
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What does tolerate mean?
If you tolerate something, you let it continue even though it annoys you, and you do not complain or try to stop it.
Keys 1 to 4 pick an answer.
More work words
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B2
thorough
Done carefully and completely, with attention to every detail. -
C1
bottleneck
A point in a process where work slows down because too much has to pass through one narrow place. -
B2
postpone
To move an event or a task to a later time than planned. -
C1
onboarding
The process of helping a new employee or customer get started, with introductions, training and information. -
B2
brainstorm
To think of many ideas quickly, often in a group, before you decide which ones are good. -
C1
reimburse
To pay someone back money that they spent for you.