"Good" vs "Well": Adjective or Adverb?
Good is an adjective; well is usually an adverb. Learn the rule, the health exception, and why "I feel good" vs "I feel well" both work.
Almost everyone says it. “You speak good English.” “He plays guitar good.” “I did good on the test.”
It sounds natural. It is widely understood. And yet, by the rules of standard English, it is wrong.
The correct forms are: “You speak well.” “He plays guitar well.” “I did well on the test.”
This post explains why — and also when “good” after a verb is actually correct.
Good = adjective → modifies nouns (describes things and people) Well = adverb → modifies verbs (describes actions)
She is a good singer. (describes “singer” — a noun)
He is a good student.
That was a good idea.
She is good at mathematics.
“Good” describes a person, thing, or idea. It answers: “What kind?"
She sings well. (describes “sings” — a verb)
He plays cricket well.
They performed well in the exam.
She speaks English well.
“Well” describes how an action is performed. It answers: “How?”
“well” has a special use as an adjective meaning “in good health”:
I feel well. (I am not ill.)
She is well again after the surgery.
Are you feeling well?
In this use, “well” describes a person’s health, not an action. It is an adjective, just like “good."
Both are correct, but the meaning is slightly different:
I feel good. = I feel happy, satisfied, or generally fine. (general state)
I feel well. = I am not sick. My health is good. (specifically about health)
After linking verbs like “feel,” “look,” “smell,” “taste,” and “sound,” adjectives (not adverbs) are used because they describe the subject, not the verb:
The food tastes good. (describes the food, not the action of tasting)
That sounds good. (describes “that,” not the action of sounding)
She looks good in that dress. (describes “she”)
It smells good. (describes “it”)
These are called subject complements. They describe the subject, so adjectives are correct.
A common mistake is to use “well” here:
The food tastes well.(This would mean the food has the ability to taste — which is absurd!)
She looks well.(This is actually correct — but it means “she looks healthy,” not “she looks attractive”)
In casual English, “good” is often used as an adverb:
“She speaks English good.” (informal, widely used)
“I did good on the test.” (informal)
“He plays good.” (informal)
This is extremely common in everyday speech and is widely understood. However, in formal writing and exams, the standard rule applies: use “well” as an adverb.
Incorrect: He plays good.
Correct: He plays well.
“Plays” is a verb. Use the adverb “well.”
Incorrect: She is well at math.
Correct: She is good at math.
After “is” (a linking verb), use the adjective “good.” Also, “good at” is the correct collocation.
Informal: I did good on the test.
Formal: I did well on the test.
- She is a ______ cook.
- He performed ______ in the interview.
- The soup tastes ______.
- I don’t feel ______ today. (health)
- She speaks Hindi very ______.
- good — adjective describing “cook” (noun)
- well — adverb describing “performed” (verb)
- good — subject complement after linking verb “tastes”
- well — adjective meaning “in good health”
- well — adverb describing “speaks” (verb)
- Good = adjective → modifies nouns: a good book, she is good, good at math.
- Well = adverb → modifies verbs: sings well, plays well, did well.
- Well = adjective only for health: “I feel well” = I am not ill.
- After linking verbs (feel, look, taste, smell, sound), use adjectives: “It looks good.”
In exams, always use the standard rule. In casual speech, “good” as an adverb is common and widely understood.