Good vs. Well: Difference, Examples, and an Easy Rule

Use good to describe a noun. Use well to describe an action, or to talk about health.

• She is a good writer.
• She writes well.
• I feel well today.

The easy rule is: good = adjective; well = adverb. But well can also be an adjective when it means healthy.

Good vs. well at a glance

Word	Main job	Meaning	Example
good	adjective	high quality, pleasant, suitable, skilled	This is a good idea.
well	adverb	in a good way, successfully	The plan worked well.
well	adjective	healthy	I do not feel well.

Quick test:

1. If you are describing a person, place, thing, or idea, use good.
2. If you are describing how an action is done, use well.
3. If you are talking about health, well is often the careful choice.

When to use good

Good is an adjective. It describes nouns and pronouns.

• That was a good answer.
• She is a good teacher.
• We had a good meeting.
• This soup tastes good.

In these examples, good describes a thing, person, event, or sensory experience.

Good before a noun

Use good before nouns.

• a good book
• a good reason
• a good example
• a good friend
• a good result

Example: A good example can make a grammar rule easier.

Good after linking verbs

Use good after linking verbs when describing the subject.

Common linking verbs include be, seem, look, sound, taste, smell, feel, and become.

• The answer is good.
• Your idea sounds good.
• The cookies smell good.
• This plan seems good.
• I feel good about the decision.

In these sentences, good describes the subject, not an action.

When to use well

Well is usually an adverb. It describes how an action is done.

• She writes well.
• The team played well.
• He explains grammar well.
• The system works well.

In these examples, well describes the verbs: writes, played, explains, and works.

Well after action verbs

Use well after action verbs when you mean the action was done successfully or skillfully.

• You did well on the test.
• The speaker handled the question well.
• The article explains the rule well.
• The new process performs well under pressure.

Ask: How was the action done? If the answer is “in a good way,” use well.

Well meaning healthy

Well can also be an adjective meaning healthy.

• I do not feel well.
• She is not well enough to travel.
• He looks well after the surgery.
• I hope you get well soon.

This is an important exception to the simple “well = adverb” rule.

Feel good or feel well?

Both can be correct, but they often mean different things.

Use feel good when talking about emotions, comfort, or a general positive feeling.

• I feel good about the interview.
• This chair feels good after a long day.
• Helping others makes me feel good.

Use feel well when talking about health.

• I do not feel well today.
• She finally feels well after being sick.
• If you feel well enough, you can return to work.

In everyday conversation, people often say I feel good to mean they are healthy. That is common. In careful writing, I feel well is more precise for health.

Do good or do well?

Use do well when talking about performance.

• She did well on the exam.
• The company is doing well.
• You did well in the interview.

Use do good when good is a noun meaning good actions or benefits.

• The charity does good in the community.
• He wants to do good with his money.

Most of the time, learners need do well, not do good.

Good at or well at?

Use good at to describe skill.

• She is good at math.
• He is good at explaining difficult ideas.
• They are good at solving problems.

Do not say well at in this structure.

You can also say someone does something well:

• She does math well.
• He explains difficult ideas well.

As good as or as well as?

Use as good as when comparing nouns or qualities.

• This version is as good as the original.
• Her essay is as good as mine.

Use as well as when comparing actions or meaning in addition to.

• She writes as well as her brother.
• The guide covers spelling as well as grammar.

Common mistakes and corrections

Incorrect: She writes good.

Correct: She writes well.

Use well because it describes the action writes.

Incorrect: He is a well teacher.

Correct: He is a good teacher.

Use good before a noun.

Incorrect: I did good on the test.

Better: I did well on the test.

Use well for performance.

Incorrect: The food tastes well.

Correct: The food tastes good.

Use good after the linking verb tastes to describe the food.

Incorrect: She is well at English.

Correct: She is good at English.

Use good at for skill.

Examples with good and well together

• She is a good speaker, and she speaks well.
• The plan is good, and it works well.
• He felt well enough to give a good presentation.
• That was a good answer, and you explained it well.
• A good editor knows how to revise well.

These examples show the main contrast: good describes a noun; well describes an action or health.

How to remember good and well

Use this memory trick:

• good describes things
• well describes actions

Ask yourself:

• Am I describing a noun? Use good.
• Am I describing how something is done? Use well.
• Am I talking about health? Well may be the better choice.

Quick quiz

Choose good or well.

1. She is a ___ student.
2. She studies ___.
3. The soup tastes ___.
4. I do not feel ___ today.
5. You did ___ on the quiz.
6. That is a ___ question.
7. The machine works ___.
8. He is ___ at public speaking.

Answers

1. good — describes student
2. well — describes studies
3. good — after linking verb tastes
4. well — health
5. well — performance
6. good — describes question
7. well — describes works
8. good — good at a skill

FAQ

What is the difference between good and well?

Good is usually an adjective that describes a noun. Well is usually an adverb that describes an action. Well can also mean healthy.

Is it I am good or I am well?

Use I am good for a general casual reply. Use I am well when emphasizing health or writing more formally.

Is it feel good or feel well?

Use feel good for emotions or general positive feeling. Use feel well for health.

Is it did good or did well?

Use did well when talking about performance: “She did well on the test.”

Is it tastes good or tastes well?

Use tastes good because tastes is a linking verb and good describes the food.

Is goodly a word?

Goodly exists but is rare and does not usually mean “well.” In normal modern English, use well as the adverb.

The same context-first habit also helps with Lay vs. Lie and I vs. Me. For a wider set of examples in this topic, use the Grammar & Usage archive as the category grows.

Final tip

Use good for nouns and qualities. Use well for actions and health.

Remember: good describes what something is; well describes how something is done.