# Good vs. Well **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 5, 2004, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-vs-well/278174 "2004-12-05T05:34:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![OliverTwistofLime](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/b487fb/32.png) [@OliverTwistofLime](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OliverTwistofLime)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2004, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-vs-well/278174/1 "2004-12-05T05:34:32Z")
Its like fingernails on a blackboard when someone is asked: “How are you?” and the person replies: “I’m doing good” instead of I’m doing well. I feel well and I feel good is fine. I’m doing badly is okay but I’m doing goodly is laughable as well as incorrect. “Well” IMHO would suggest a degree of health and good would suggest an emotional or physical condition? In short, would you be kind enough to explain the difference between the two words and how to remember which word to use when? ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Lance\_Murdoch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/47e85d/32.png) [@Captain\_Lance\_Murdoch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Lance_Murdoch)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2004, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-vs-well/278174/2 "2004-12-05T05:49:47Z")
The word “well” does not exist in Major League Baseball. He’s hittin’ good. He’s pitchin’ good. He’s juicin’ good. ---
**Author:** ![rfgdxm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c0e974/32.png) [@rfgdxm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rfgdxm)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2004, 5:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-vs-well/278174/3 "2004-12-05T05:56:29Z")
> [@MadSam](#): > > Its like fingernails on a blackboard when someone is asked: “How are you?” and the person replies: “I’m doing good” instead of I’m doing well. > > I feel well and I feel good is fine. I’m doing badly is okay but I’m doing goodly is laughable as well as incorrect. > > “Well” IMHO would suggest a degree of health and good would suggest an emotional or physical condition? > > In short, would you be kind enough to explain the difference between the two words and how to remember which word to use when? In modern American usage these are being used interchangeably. You may want to look at this: > **[Definition of GOOD](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/good)** > > of a favorable character or tendency; bountiful, fertile; handsome, attractive… See the full definition usage ## An old notion that it is wrong to say “I feel good” in reference to health still occasionally appears in print. The origins of this notion, which goes back to the turn of the century, are obscure, but they seem to combine someone’s idea that good should be reserved to describe virtue and uncertainty about whether an adverb or an adjective should follow feel. Today nearly everyone agrees that both good and well can be predicate adjectives after feel. Both are used to express good health, but good may connote good spirits in addition to good health. Note “I’m doing good” and “I feel good” are identical responses to “How are you?” ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2004, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-vs-well/278174/4 "2004-12-05T06:00:02Z")
When you say “I’m doing good,” _good_ is used as an adverb. From Webster’s Online: > [@](#): > > **good** , adv. > usage: Adverbial _good_ has been under attack from the schoolroom since the 19th century. Insistence on _well_ rather than _good_ has resulted in a split in connotation: _well_ is standard, neutral, and colorless, while _good_ is emotionally charged and emphatic. This makes _good_ the adverb of choice in sports \<“I’m seeing the ball real good” is what you hear – Roger Angell\>. In such contexts as \ \ _good_ cannot be adequately replaced by _well_. Adverbial _good_ is primarily a spoken form; in writing it occurs in reported and fictional speech and in generally familiar or informal contexts. In most other cases, _good_ is only used as an adjective. Does that help at all? ---
**Author:** ![rfgdxm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c0e974/32.png) [@rfgdxm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rfgdxm)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2004, 6:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-vs-well/278174/5 "2004-12-05T06:03:21Z")
> [@Captain Lance Murdoch](#): > > The word “well” does not exist in Major League Baseball. He’s hittin’ good. He’s pitchin’ good. He’s juicin’ good. Perhaps its a regional thing around here, but in Black English “good” does not exist in the same way that you say it doesn’t in MLB. In real life I have to deal with a lot of black folk, and say “good” when I ordinarily would say “well”. When in Rome… ---
**Author:** ![armedmonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@armedmonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/armedmonkey)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2004, 6:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-vs-well/278174/6 "2004-12-05T06:03:28Z")
Damn, I’ve gotten an A on every English paper I’ve ever written, but that’s a tough one. …hmmmmm… I don’t have an answer except for this: The English language has grown very informal, and it changes over time… usually toward more informality. For example: I’d bet my mortgage that “nite” will be an acceptable alternative spelling of “night” within my lifetime. As far as “good” and “well”, ummm, well, the only advice I can offer is to go with what ‘sounds right’. But that ain’t much help to you, or any of y’all that might be heading this, is it? Hell, don’t listen to me. I may have got all A’s in English, but I never did figure out when to use “whom”. ---
**Author:** ![rfgdxm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c0e974/32.png) [@rfgdxm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rfgdxm)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2004, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-vs-well/278174/7 "2004-12-05T06:08:34Z")
> [@scr4](#): > > When you say “I’m doing good,” _good_ is used as an adverb. And good is used as an adverb with “I feel good”. It isn’t me that is good, but my feeling that is good. ---
**Author:** ![OliverTwistofLime](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/b487fb/32.png) [@OliverTwistofLime](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OliverTwistofLime)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2004, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-vs-well/278174/8 "2004-12-05T06:18:48Z")
> [@rfgdxm](#): > > And good is used as an adverb with “I feel good”. It isn’t me that is good, but my feeling that is good. So what you are all saying is that the sentences: 1. I’m doing good. 2. I hit the ball real good. are acceptable in the English language now? ---
**Author:** ![rfgdxm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c0e974/32.png) [@rfgdxm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rfgdxm)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2004, 6:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-vs-well/278174/9 "2004-12-05T06:23:46Z")
> [@A Monkey With a Gun](#): > > Damn, I’ve gotten an A on every English paper I’ve ever written, but that’s a tough one. > > …hmmmmm… > > I don’t have an answer except for this: The English language has grown very informal, and it changes over time… usually toward more informality. The context here is informality. When someone asks “How are you?” I wouldn’t care that the way I’d use the English language in reply isn’t what would be considered optimal for writing a philosophical essay. And there are good reasons for using the language in an informal manner orally. When unsure of how literate other people around you are, communicate using simple language that won’t likely be misinterpreted. ---
**Author:** ![rfgdxm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c0e974/32.png) [@rfgdxm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rfgdxm)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2004, 6:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-vs-well/278174/10 "2004-12-05T06:33:22Z")
> [@MadSam](#): > > So what you are all saying is that the sentences: > > 1. I’m doing good. > > 2. I hit the ball real good. > > are acceptable in the English language now? I’d say #1 is perfectly acceptable English usage now. In fact I’d be more likely if asked “How are you?” to respond “I’m doing good” than “I’m doing well.” As for #2, it would be perfectly acceptable where this was the standard jargon in use. “He hit the ball real good” would be OK at a baseball game. However, “I patched the security hole in the software real good” won’t do. In that case it is “I patched the security hole in the software well” would be more appropriate. ---
**Author:** ![bare](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bare/32/471_2.png) [@bare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bare)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2004, 7:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-vs-well/278174/11 "2004-12-05T07:14:39Z")
I don’t recall exactly how it got driven home, probably some obscure English teacher in the cobwebs of my mind, but my standard response to, “how are you?” is, “I’m well!”. Almost invariably, folks that don’t know me pause and say, “You’re well what”? I wanna slap 'em. ---
**Author:** ![jasonh300](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/46a35a/32.png) [@jasonh300](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jasonh300)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2004, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-vs-well/278174/12 "2004-12-05T15:38:57Z")
In this day and age of “wellness” and “unwellness” being used as terms indicating levels of sanity, why not just reply “I’m fine!”. Hmmm…should that last sentence (question) end with a period or a question mark? ---
**Author:** ![SavageNarce](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@SavageNarce](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SavageNarce)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2004, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-vs-well/278174/13 "2004-12-05T15:57:07Z")
Sometimes the difference reflects your actual situation. If I say “I’m feeeling well”, that means I’m not experiencing any symptoms of illness. But if I say “I’m feeling good”, that adds an aspect of emotional wellbeing - I’m relatively happy and content, in addition to not feeling sick. ---
**Author:** ![aahala](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a88e4f/32.png) [@aahala](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aahala)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2004, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-vs-well/278174/14 "2004-12-05T16:14:23Z")
I think it was Humpty Dumpty who claimed a mastery of words. He was going to use them as he saw fit. He wasn’t going to let words dictate how he was going to use them. ---
**Author:** ![Excalibre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/898d66/32.png) [@Excalibre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Excalibre)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2004, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-vs-well/278174/15 "2004-12-05T16:45:42Z")
> [@rfgdxm](#): > > And good is used as an adverb with “I feel good”. It isn’t me that is good, but my feeling that is good. You sure about that? I’d wonder if “feel” in that sentence is actually functioning as a copulative, linking “I” to “good”. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2004, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-vs-well/278174/16 "2004-12-05T16:51:55Z")
**rfgdxm:** \*In fact I’d be more likely if asked “How are you?” to respond “I’m doing good” than “I’m doing well.” \* I wouldn’t, but that’s because the phrase “doing good” still means “involved in charitable or philanthropic work” to me. “They’re some of those do-gooders who go around doing good to the homeless.” “I want to do some good in the world.” Etc. But I agree that in general usage, “I’m doing good” is now pretty much synonymous with “I’m doing well” or “I’m doing fine” (my preferred version). ---
**Author:** ![Asteroide](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/87869e/32.png) [@Asteroide](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asteroide)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2004, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-vs-well/278174/17 "2004-12-06T00:20:23Z")
> [@Excalibre](#): > > You sure about that? I’d wonder if “feel” in that sentence is actually functioning as a copulative, linking “I” to “good”. Yeah, seems to me that “good” in _I feel good_ isn’t an adverb, but an adjective. I’m not saying that I’m skillful at feeling, I am describing my state, _I am good, I feel good_. This is the opposite of _I feel bad_ not the opposite of _I feel badly_. I generally find that people who feel badly tend to look badly too. _I feel well_ is the opposite of _I feel unwell_ - still not an adverb… OTOH I seem to recall Shakespeare allowing that If it were done when 'tis done, then 'twere _well_ it were done quickly." ---
**Author:** ![Fuji\_Kitakyusho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f0a364/32.png) [@Fuji\_Kitakyusho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fuji_Kitakyusho)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2004, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-vs-well/278174/18 "2004-12-06T00:48:19Z")
In my continuing quest to keep people off-guard, I am apt to answer the question _“How are you?”_ with _“Worse.”_ ---
**Author:** ![CurtC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ce73a5/32.png) [@CurtC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CurtC)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2004, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-vs-well/278174/19 "2004-12-06T03:05:07Z")
> [@rfgdxm](#): > > And good is used as an adverb with “I feel good”. It isn’t me that is good, but my feeling that is good. **No no no no no!** In this case, “feel” is just a linking verb, like “am” would be: “I am good” is the same sentence structure. Subject-linking verb - adjective. You could also say “I feel happy,” but “I feel happily” would be wrong, because “feel” in this case needs an adjective, not an adverb. (Feel can be used with an adverb, but means something else - “I feel quickly” means that you’re quick at feeling something.) Part of the confusion here is that “well” is normally an adverb, but can also be an adjective meaning “in a good state or health.” When someone says he’s feeling well, that’s the one he’s using - it’s an adjective. But “good” is also an adjective, and works just fine in this situation IMHO. ---
**Author:** ![duffer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duffer/32/1026_2.png) [@duffer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/duffer)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2004, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-vs-well/278174/20 "2004-12-06T05:06:13Z")
Well, good. There! Diagram that sentence! 😃 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-vs-well/278174.md?page=2)