Quick Overview

• Good is an adjective. It describes a noun, meaning a person, place, or thing.
• Well is usually an adverb. It describes a verb, meaning how something is done.

Let’s break it down further:

1. Using “Good”

• Since good is an adjective, it’s used to describe nouns—people, places, and things.
• We use “good” to describe the quality or state of something.

Examples:

• “She is a good dancer.” (Describes “she” as a person)
• “This soup tastes good.” (Describes the soup’s quality)

Common Expressions with Good:

• “Good job!” — praises someone’s performance.
• “Good day!” — expresses that the day was enjoyable.

2. Using “Well”

• Well is primarily an adverb, meaning it modifies verbs to explain how an action is done.
• However, “well” can also function as an adjective, particularly when describing someone’s health or condition.

Examples:

• “He sings well.” (Describes how he sings)
• “She did well on the exam.” (Describes how she performed)
• “I hope you’re well.” (Describes someone’s health or condition)

Common Expressions with Well:

• “I don’t feel well.” — means feeling unwell or sick.
• “She handled the situation well.” — describes how she managed the situation.

Common Mistakes

1. Confusing Good and Well After Linking Verbs
   • Sometimes, people mistakenly say “I feel good” when they should say “I feel well,” especially in formal settings.
   • “Good” can be used for physical feeling (e.g., “I feel good about my performance”), while “well” typically refers to health (e.g., “I feel well after my workout”).
2. Using Good to Describe Actions
   • Since “good” is an adjective, it doesn’t work well for actions. Instead, use “well” to talk about how well an action is done.
   • ❌ Incorrect: “She swims good.”
   • ✅ Correct: “She swims well.”

Practice Time! 📝

Fill in the blanks with good or well:

1. “He did a ___ job on his project.”
2. “I hope you’re feeling ___ soon.”
3. “She performed ___ in her interview.”
4. “The pizza tastes really ___!”

Answers:

1. good
2. well
3. well
4. good