Handout 70

Problems With Adjectives: Good and Well & Bad and Badly

Many ESL: students have a problem with the usage of the two modifiers good and well.  To determine weather to use good or well, you must determine which word is being modified.  Well is an adverb and good is normally an adjective.  If it is an adjective, it will normally come before the noun.  The same rules apply for bad and badly

1. It is a good car

2. t is a bad car

3.  I had a good idea.

4. I had a bad idea

When modifying most verbs, use the adverb well.

1. He reads well.  Read is a verb, so use well.

2. He reads badly.  Read is a verb, so use badly

3. He knows very well what the answer is.  Knows is a verb, so use well.

4. He did very badly on the exam.  Did is a verb, so use badly.

When modifying a linking verb or a verb that describes one of the five senses,                        use the adjective "good".

1. I am feeling good

2. I am feeling bad

3. She is looking good

4. She is looking bad

5. She smells good

6. She smells bad

7. It feels good

8. It feels bad

There is one notable exception.  You can use well and badly after a linking verb when the verb refers to health.  In this case, the use of well and badly refer to physical health only, and good or bad refers to physical and emotional health.

1. I am feeling good.  I am feeling OK physically and I am happy

2.  I am feeling bad. I am not OK physically and I am not happy

3.  I am feeling well.  I am feeling OK medically speaking.

4. I am feeling badly.  I am not feeling OK medically speaking.

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