Good or Well?

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"Good" or "Well"?

"Good" and "well" are often confused by writers. Ironically, this confusion is most prevalent among writers who think about how "good" and "well" are used grammatically. Those who choose the word that comes naturally rarely confuse "good" and "well."

• "Good" is usually an adjective.
• A good solution
• I am good.
• "Well" can be an adjective or an adverb .
• A well specimen (i.e., a healthy specimen)
• I am well (in good health).
(In these two examples, "well" is an adjective.)
• He played well.
(In this example, "well" is an adverb.)

I Am Good/Well

The sentences "I am good" and "I am well" are both grammatically sound. Remember that "good" and "well" can both be used as adjectives. For example:

• I am good.
(This means "I am of a fair or high standard. Of note, "I am good" also has an idiomatic meaning of "I have what I need.")
• I am well.
(This means "I am in good health.")

Good

The adjective "good" means "of a fair or high standard."

Example sentences with "good":

• My sister has enough money. She is good.
• Good judgment comes from experience, and a lot of that comes from bad judgment. (Actor Will Rogers)

Well

The adjective "well" means "in good health."

Example sentences with "well":

• My sister is over the virus. She is well.
• If you feel well and happy, your face will reflect this, but if you are having a miserable time, your face will soon show it. (Actress Joan Collins)

More about "I Am Good" and "I Am Well"

Remember that both are correct.

Confusion arises because some people (ironically, it's those who think about grammar) believe an adverb must be used to modify the verb "am," and they know that "well" is the adverb of "good."

In the sentences "I am good" and "I am well," the verb is "am." So, they are right about that, but "am" is not a normal verb. It is a linking verb, and that's the point they miss. A linking verb is followed by an adjective or a noun (called the subject complement). For example:

• I am flamboyant.
(Here, "flamboyant" is an adjective. It is the subject complement following "am.")
• I am a man.
(Here, "man" is a noun. It is the subject complement following "am.")

Be Careful with Linking Verbs

It is a common mistake to follow a linking verb with an adverb. This happens most commonly with "to smell," "to look," and "to taste." For example:

• The dinner tastes wonderfully.
(This should be "wonderful.")
• She looked amazingly.
(This should be "amazing.")

Be careful though. Look at this example:

• The dog smells bad.
(Here, the adjective "bad" describes the smell of the dog.)
• The dog smells badly.
(Here, "smells" is not a linking verb. The adverb "badly" tells us how the dog smells.)

Read more about linking verbs.

A Trick to Help with "Good" and "Well"

A good way to determine whether you need the adjective "good" or the adverb "well" is to use the word "quick" instead. If you find yourself drawn to "quickly," then you need "well" (as both are adverbs). However, if you find yourself drawn to "quick," then you need "good" (as both are adjectives).

Ready for the Test?