Good vs. Well: What’s the Difference?

The words good and well are often confused, but they don’t serve the same purpose.

One describes nouns, and the other describes verbs or actions.

Here’s the quick rule:

• Good → an adjective (describes nouns)
• Well → an adverb (describes actions), sometimes an adjective meaning “healthy”

1. Good

Meaning

Good is an adjective.
It describes nouns — people, places, things, ideas.

Examples (10 total)

1. She is a good singer.
2. This is a good idea.
3. The food smells good.
4. He is a good friend.
5. They had a good time.
6. The game was really good.
7. That’s a good question.
8. The movie got good reviews.
9. He made a good choice.
10. The weather looks good today.

🧠 Tip:
If it describes a thing, person, or noun, use good.

2. Well

Meaning

Well is mostly an adverb.
It describes how someone does something.

Examples (10 total)

1. She sings well.
2. He played well today.
3. They work well together.
4. She writes well.
5. He listens well to instructions.
6. The team performed well.
7. He speaks English well.
8. The plan worked well.
9. She handled the problem well.
10. He cooks well, even without training.

“Well” as an adjective

Well can also mean healthy.

Examples:

• I’m feeling well today.
• She looks well now.

🧠 Tip:
If it describes an action, use well.

3. Quick Comparison Table

4. How to Remember

👉 Good = describes things
👉 Well = describes how

Memory trick:

If you’re talking about how something is done, choose well.

5. Common Mistakes

❌ I speak good.
✔ I speak well.

❌ She did good on the test.
✔ She did well on the test.
(but you can say “She did a good job.”)

❌ I feel good (wrong?)
✔ Depends:

• I feel good → emotionally or physically happy
• I feel well → healthy

Humanizey Mention

Tools like Humanizey help writers use words like good and well naturally and accurately so sentences feel human and clear.

FAQs

1. Is “I’m doing good” wrong?

It’s common in casual speech, but the formal version is I’m doing well.

2. Can “good” describe feelings?

Yes: “I feel good” = I feel happy/positive.

3. When is “well” an adjective?

When it means healthy.

4. Can “well” ever describe a noun?

Only when meaning healthy (e.g., “a well child”).

Practice: Choose the Correct Word (“Good” or “Well”)

(Answers are listed at the end.)

1. She dances very ___.
2. He is a ___ person.
3. I don’t feel ___.
4. They did ___ on the exam.
5. The meal tasted really ___.
6. She speaks French ___.
7. That was a ___ decision.
8. He performed ___ under pressure.
9. You look ___ today.
10. It was a ___ experience.

Answers

1. well
2. good
3. well
4. well
5. good
6. well
7. good
8. well
9. well / good (healthy = well; happy/confident = good)
10. good