One of the challenges of language is getting an understanding of what is correct. But then, what is correct is not always what people actually say.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A classic example in English is when differentiating between the words \u2018good\u2019 and \u2018well\u2019. The fact is, the vast majority of native English speakers have evolved their communication in a way that the incorrect usage of these words has become commonplace. But then, if that\u2019s what everyone actually says, is it really incorrect anymore?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That argument is interesting, but for another day. For now, let us look at the difference between \u2018good\u2019 and \u2018well\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The word \u2018good\u2019 is an adjective, and therefore qualifies a noun. Here are some classic examples:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2018Melanie is a good person.\u2019<\/p>
\u2018Today was a good day.\u2019<\/p>
\u2018Wow, you\u2019re a really good dancer.\u2019<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
As an adjective, then, \u2018good\u2019 should not be used to describe an action.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And another thing. When \u2018good\u2019 is used as an adjective to describe a person \u2013 \u2018Jane is good\u2019 \u2013 then is means the opposite of evil. Therefore, it has quite a moralistic sense, in that you are reporting that Jane is a person who lives in the correct way. This is a narrow interpretation, but the original one.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n \n\n\n\n
\u2018Well\u2019<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\u2018Well\u2019 is an adverb, and should therefore be used to qualify a verb. Here are some typical examples:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2018I did really well on the exam.\u2019<\/p>
\u2018I thought you played really well today.\u2019<\/p><\/p>
\u2018Maria spoke well at the presentation.\u2019<\/p>
\u2018Well\u2019 is used after the verb to describe how the action took place.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
However, \u2018good\u2019 can be used with stative verbs such as \u2018be\u2019, \u2018looks\u2019, \u2018sound\u2019 and so on to make totally logical sentences:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2018Jane is good.\u2019 (as we saw before, meaning a \u2018good person\u2019)<\/p>
\u2018Jane is good at dancing.\u2019<\/p>
\u2018That cake looks good.\u2019<\/p>
\u2018That idea sounds good.\u2019<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
The classic \u2018good\u2019 vs \u2018well\u2019 mistake<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Mistakes when using \u2018good\u2019 and \u2018well\u2019 are usually grammatical: an adjective is being used when an adverb is, in fact, correct. Here is a classic mistake:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2018You did good today.\u2019<\/s> \u2013 \u2018You did well today.\u2019<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\nNow, people may say<\/em> this, but it is definitely not correct<\/em> to do so.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2018Well\u2019 as an adjective<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Just to confuse matters, \u2018well\u2019 can also be an adjective meaning \u2018healthy\u2019, either physically or mentally. Here is an example:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2018Jacinda is a well person.\u2019<\/p><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
The meaning of this sentence is that Jacinda is a healthy person. Of course, the opposite is \u2018unwell\u2019, meaning ill. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
As a result of this, it is therefore common for English speakers to have this following exchange:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2018How are you?\u2019<\/p>
\u2018I am well, thanks.\u2019<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
Originally, the question \u2018How are you?\u2019 would have linked solely to health, but now has a much broader meaning. Similarly, the answer, although traditionally only meaning \u2018healthy\u2019, can now also be interpreted as something much broader<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Incorrect grammar or natural speech?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Another \u2018mistake\u2019, although it could be classified as natural English these days, is when people respond to the same question \u2018How are you?\u2019 with the reply \u2018I\u2019m good.\u2019 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Logically speaking, this is confusing, because if you interpret the original meaning of these sentences, then you would have the following short exchange:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2018Are you healthy?\u2019<\/p>
\u2018I\u2019m a person who lives in the right way, and am not evil.\u2019<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
Of course, this is not what people are actually saying, but shows how, both in meaning, and grammatically, how the norm has changed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Therefore, when someone asks: \u2018How are you?\u2019 it is correct to say: \u2018I\u2019m well, thanks,\u2019 but it has become acceptable in spoken English to use the reply \u2018I\u2019m good, thanks\u2019, even if grammar traditionalists may not agree with this usage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
One of the challenges of language is getting an understanding of what is correct. But then, what is correct is not always what people actually say. A classic example in English is when differentiating between the words \u2018good\u2019 and \u2018well\u2019. The fact is, the vast majority of native English speakers have evolved their communication in […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2035,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[572,9],"tags":[630,14,631,12],"class_list":["post-2034","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-vocabulary","category-writing","tag-good","tag-how-to","tag-well","tag-writing"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n
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