Proper use of the word well and good

Asked by: Glenda Johns

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(43 votes)

All you need to remember when you are pondering whether good or well is best for your sentence is that good modifies a person, place, or thing, whereas well modifies an action. If you’re having a good day, then your day is going well.

Do you say I am well or I am good?

Therefore, «I’m good,» is a proper response. «I’m well» is also allowed but not for the reasons many think. That response only works if «well» takes on its adjectival form, meaning «in good health» or «good or satisfactory.» Now, if someone asks «How are you doing?» «I’m doing well» is the correct response.

Do you do good on a test or well?

Many people, including many native speakers, incorrectly use the adjective form good, rather than the adverb well. Examples: I did good on the test. … Use the adjective form good when describing something or someone.

Are good and well interchangeable?

Though many people think ‘well’ and ‘good’ are synonyms, or words that have the same meaning, they are not interchangeable. Instead, they often function as different parts of speech, like adjectives, adverbs, and nouns. … ‘ As ‘good’ is not an adverb, it can’t modify the verb ‘doing.

How do you use the word well?

We use well as an adverb when something is done to a good standard or in a good way:

38 related questions found

Good is an adjective while well is an adverb answering the question how. Sometimes well also functions as an adjective pertaining to health.

Examples:
You did a good job.
Good describes job, which is a noun, so good is an adjective.

You did the job well.
Well is an adverb describing how the job was performed.

I feel well.
Well is an adjective describing I.

Good vs. Well Rules

Rule: With the four senses—look, smell, taste, feel—discern if these words are being used actively to decide whether to follow them with good or well. (Hear is always used actively.)

Examples:
You smell good today.
Good describes you, not how you sniff with your nose.

You smell well for someone with a cold.
You are sniffing actively with your nose here so use the adverb.

She looks good for a 75-year-old grandmother.
She is not looking actively with eyes so use the adjective.

Rule: When referring to health, always use well.

Examples:
I do not feel well today.
You do not look well.

Rule: When describing someone’s emotional state, use good.

Example: He doesn’t feel good about having cheated.

So, how should you answer the question, “How are you?” If you think someone is asking about your physical well-being, answer, “I feel well,” or “I don’t feel well.” If someone is asking about your emotional state, answer, “I feel good,” or “I don’t feel good.”

Please see our post How Are You—Good, Well, or Fine?, which provides more discussion and helpful examples.

Pop Quiz
1. She jogged very good/well for her age.
2. She had a good/well time yesterday.
3. With a high fever, it is unlikely he will feel good/well enough to play basketball tomorrow.
4. Those glasses look good/well on you.

Pop Quiz Answers

1. She jogged very well for her age.
2. She had a good time yesterday.
3. With a high fever, it is unlikely he will feel well enough to play basketball tomorrow.
4. Those glasses look good on you.

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How many times have you been asked, “How are you?” If things are going well, how do you answer? Do you say “I am good,” which is a common answer among native English speakers? Or do you say “I am well,” which is probably not commonly used?

If you use the former response, you might be teased by grammar Nazis. However, the joke is on them and “I am good” is actually proper English. But why do so many people believe “I am good” is improper English?

Based on the general grammar rules, only adverbs should modify verbs. Therefore, “well” would be the proper modifier of the verb “am.” Likewise, only adjectives should modify nouns and “good” is an adjective. As a result, sticklers for grammar think “I am good” should be incorrect since an adjective is being use to modify the verb “am” in this sentences. However, the grammar rules aren’t so simple.

Knowing which word to use in the “well” vs “good” debate revolves around an understanding of how action verbs are different from linking verbs. As the name implies, an action verb represents an action, and it is only an action verb that should be modified by an adverb. For example, the following phrase is proper English: “He climbs well.” It would be improper to say “He climbs good,” because an adjective cannot be used to modify an action verb.

Linking verbs use a different rule and are verbs that work to connect other words together. For example, “am,” “is,” “are,” «was” and “were” are linking verbs. Think of linking verbs as forms of “be.” It is proper English to use the word “good” to modify a verb as long as it is a linking verb. For example, “We are good” is proper English. In situations like this, the word “good” is a predicate adjective and refers to the noun before the linking verb. So in this example, “We are good,” “good” is referring to “we.”

And coming full circle to our original example, “I am good,” the word “good” is modifying the noun “I,” not the linking verb, “am.”