Nick's Guide to Great Writing!

This material is on nuances, and shades of gray. While it is included in the writing section of my homepage, it is useful for speakers and general students of English, both native and non-native learners of English vocabulary.

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1 elementary
5 intermediate
9 advanced

Good and well

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2 - 4

Explanation, discussion and example(s):

Good and well are two words that cause problems for less educated native speakers and many students new to English. They both can be used as adjectives or adverbs, and indeed, both can be many other parts of speech. It is hard to make a hard and fast rule about when to use which, although one book says:

"Good should be used with descriptive verbs such as look, feel,
sound and taste... use well with all other verbs."¹

Please study the following for meanings and examples:

Good (adjective) adjective inflected forms: better, best of a favorable character or tendency; handsome, attractive; free from injury or disease; profitable, advantageous; agreeable, pleasant; wholesome; honorable; choice, discriminating as in good taste; virtuous, right, commendable; kind, benevolent; competent, skillful; loyal or close -- often used in faint praise -- used as an intensive adverb - used as an intensive Notes on other usage: adverbial good has been under attack since the 19th century. Today well is standard, neutral, and colorless, while good is emotionally charged and emphatic. Sometimes good cannot be adequately replaced by well.
You look exceptionally good today = you are more beautiful or well dressed than usual.	{*faint praise*} He is a good employee, he comes to work on time and does his job.
I feel good.	Many women say, "A good man is hard to find."
Well (adjective, adverb) prosperous, well-off; being in satisfactory condition or circumstances; being in good standing or favor; satisfactory, pleasing; advisable, desirable; free or recovered from infirmity or disease; healthy; completely cured or healed; pleasing or satisfactory in appearance adverb in a good or proper manner; justly, rightly; satisfactorily; with respect to conduct or action; with skill or aptitude; satisfactorily; with good appearance or effect; elegantly; to a high degree; fully, quite; in a way appropriate to the facts or circumstances; fittingly, rightly; in accordance with the occasion or circumstances; with propriety or good reason; advantageously; thoroughly; in a familiar manner -- often used as an intensifier or qualifier
You look exceptionally well today = you look healthier than usual.		Get well soon.
She does really well with computers.		He dances well.

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Nick's Guide to Great Writing!

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