Back in January I promised Judy that I would blog about “good” and “well.” Well. here it is.
As for her specific example of “you done good,” I have been known to say that myself, but only for comic effect — because it’s dreadfully wrong. (If you hope to be funny when saying things like that, be sure of your audience.)
However, if you use the right verb tense, it can be correct to say “you did good,” if the praise is for a deed that benefits others. This is where the informal “do-gooder” comes from.
“You did well” means something else: The praise is then directed at the performance, not a result of it.
Our grandsons do well in school. As Boy Scouts, they also get to do good.
Most problems with “good” (an adjective) and “well” (usually an adverb) arise with the use of “linking verbs” (also called “copulative”), principally “be,” “become,” “appear,” “seem,” “feel,” “sound,” “taste,” and sometimes “get” and “grow.”
The usual examples involve “feel”:
“I feel good” and “I feel bad” can be comments on my mood or my health.
By contrast, some argue, “feel badly” and “feel well” refer to the sense of touch, although such usage would have to be rare.
Actually, using “feel well” in reference to a person’s health is acceptable idiom.
I like to think of “feeling good” as a state of mind and “feeling well” as a state of health.
I would stay away from “feel badly” altogether.
A word of caution: just memorizing a list of linking verbs can still get you into trouble, because some them also can act as “action verbs.”
For example, “feel strong” refers to physical condition, while “feel strongly” is about emotions.
I hope this helps you feel better about “good” and “well.” If so, all’s well that ends well — unless it’s good.
As for her specific example of “you done good,” I have been known to say that myself, but only for comic effect — because it’s dreadfully wrong. (If you hope to be funny when saying things like that, be sure of your audience.)
However, if you use the right verb tense, it can be correct to say “you did good,” if the praise is for a deed that benefits others. This is where the informal “do-gooder” comes from.
“You did well” means something else: The praise is then directed at the performance, not a result of it.
Our grandsons do well in school. As Boy Scouts, they also get to do good.
Most problems with “good” (an adjective) and “well” (usually an adverb) arise with the use of “linking verbs” (also called “copulative”), principally “be,” “become,” “appear,” “seem,” “feel,” “sound,” “taste,” and sometimes “get” and “grow.”
The usual examples involve “feel”:
“I feel good” and “I feel bad” can be comments on my mood or my health.
By contrast, some argue, “feel badly” and “feel well” refer to the sense of touch, although such usage would have to be rare.
Actually, using “feel well” in reference to a person’s health is acceptable idiom.
I like to think of “feeling good” as a state of mind and “feeling well” as a state of health.
I would stay away from “feel badly” altogether.
A word of caution: just memorizing a list of linking verbs can still get you into trouble, because some them also can act as “action verbs.”
For example, “feel strong” refers to physical condition, while “feel strongly” is about emotions.
I hope this helps you feel better about “good” and “well.” If so, all’s well that ends well — unless it’s good.
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