ShmoopTube

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Good versus Well, a la Shmoop. Jenny's long drive from Omaha to Memphis went

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well because the music on the radio was good.

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That is, if you consider country music “good.”

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Here's the rule for “good” and “well”...

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...use the adjective “good” after linking verbs...

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...and the adverb “well” to modify action verbs.

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Now, if you've never heard of a linking verb before...

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...let us explain. A linking verb is a verb that is less about action and more about connecting

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words together.

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“To smell” can often be a linking verb, so let's look at it in an example with “good”

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and “well”. When you say, “My grandma smells good”...

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...you mean that she smells like the Chanel perfume she likes to wear...

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...or the chocolate chip cookies she just finished baking.

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You'd never say, “My grandma smells well”...

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...unless you were bragging about her uncanny ability to hunt down dirty socks with her

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super-sensitive nose. Let's look at some action verbs.

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You wouldn't say “Elaine reads good”. You'd say “Elaine reads well”.

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You wouldn't say “Mike plays the piano good”. You'd say “Mike plays the piano well”.

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In these examples, the adverb “well” is modifying the action verbs “reads” and

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“plays”. Using the word “well” can prove a little

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confusing because, in some instances, “well” works as a predicate adjective.

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The best example of this is when you say, “I am well.”

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Here, the linking verb “am” and the predicate adjective “well” come together to mean

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you're healthy, as in… you've fully recovered from an illness.

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If, however, you haven't had to visit a doctor in ages...

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...because germs wither up and die when confronted with your incredible immune system...

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...and someone asks how you are...

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...you may safely reply, “I'm good.” Remember, the rule is...

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...use the adjective “good” after linking verbs...

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...and the adverb “well” to modify action verbs.

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Now, all you need for that road trip to Memphis is some beef jerky and a water bottle for…

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emergencies.

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