Good vs Well — Adjective or Adverb?

Q: Is "good" ever used as an adverb?

In standard formal English, good is not used as an adverb. In informal American English you may hear: He did real good. These are considered non-standard. In British English, using good as an adverb is more likely to be considered an error. For formal writing and exams, always use well as the adverb.

Grammar A2–B2 6 min read Updated 9 June 2026

Quick Answer

Good is an adjective modifying nouns (a good book, she is good at tennis). Well is usually an adverb modifying verbs or adjectives (she speaks well, I don't feel well). Exception: well as an adjective means healthy.

The confusion between good and well is one of the most common grammar mistakes in English — even among native speakers. The core rule is straightforward: good is an adjective and well is an adverb, but the tricky part is that well can also function as an adjective when it means "healthy."

Good as an Adjective

Good is an adjective. It describes or modifies a noun or pronoun. It can appear before a noun (attributive position) or after a linking verb like be, seem, look, feel, taste, sound, smell (predicative position).

She is a good teacher. (before noun)

That is a good idea. (before noun)

The food tastes good. (after linking verb — describes the food)

He is good at mathematics. (after linking verb — describes the person)

Well as an Adverb

Well is an adverb. It modifies a verb (telling how an action is done) or an adjective. It answers the question "how?"

She speaks English well. (how she speaks)

He played well in the match. (how he played)

The plan worked well. (how the plan worked)

She performed well under pressure. (how she performed)

Quick Test

If you can replace the word with another adverb like badly, slowly, or carefully, use well. If you can replace it with another adjective like excellent, bad, or great, use good.

The Important Exception: Well Meaning “Healthy”

Well can also be an adjective meaning in good health. This is the key exception to the "well is always an adverb" rule. In this use, well appears after linking verbs like feel, look, be, seem.

I don’t feel well. (I am not healthy)

She looked well after her holiday. (she looked healthy)

Are you well? (are you in good health?)

This is why both of the following can be correct, but with different meanings:

I feel good. (I feel happy, positive, or satisfied)

I feel well. (I feel healthy — not ill)

Common Mistakes

She sings good.

She sings well. (sings is an action verb — use the adverb)

He did very well work.

He did very good work. (work is a noun — use the adjective)

The team performed good.

The team performed well. (performed is an action verb)

After Linking Verbs: Good or Well?

Linking verbs (be, seem, look, feel, sound, taste, smell, appear, become) connect a subject to a describing word. After a linking verb, use good (adjective) to describe the subject's quality. Use well (adjective) only if you mean "healthy."

Sentence	Meaning	Correct word
The music sounds ___.	quality of the music	good
She looks ___ today.	she appears healthy	well
She looks ___ in that dress.	she appears attractive	good
I don't feel ___.	I am unwell	well
That smells really ___.	quality of the smell	good

Comparative and Superlative Forms

Both good and well use the same irregular comparative and superlative forms:

Base	Comparative	Superlative
good (adj)	better	best
well (adv)	better	best

This is a better idea. (adjective — comparative of good)

She plays better now. (adverb — comparative of well)

That was the best film I have seen. (adjective — superlative of good)

He performed best under pressure. (adverb — superlative of well)

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between good and well?

Good is an adjective used to describe nouns: a good book, she is good at tennis, that tastes good. Well is usually an adverb used to describe how an action is performed: she speaks well, the plan worked well, he played well. The exception is when well means "healthy" — in that case it is an adjective: I don't feel well (= I feel unwell/ill).

Is it "I feel good" or "I feel well"?

Both can be correct, but they mean different things. "I feel good" means you feel happy, positive, or in a good mood. "I feel well" means you feel healthy — not ill. Both are grammatically correct. In American English, "I feel good" is more common in everyday speech for both meanings. "I feel well" specifically emphasises physical health.

Can I say "She sings good"?

No. "She sings good" is incorrect. Sings is an action verb, and to describe how an action is performed you need an adverb. The correct sentence is "She sings well." The same applies to: she plays well, he dances well, they performed well. Good is an adjective and cannot modify an action verb.

When do I use "good" after a linking verb?

After a linking verb (be, seem, look, feel, taste, sound, smell), use good (adjective) when you are describing the quality or nature of the subject, not its health. That smells good. The soup tastes good. You look good in that colour. Compare with: You look well (= you look healthy). Both are grammatically correct, but good refers to quality or appearance while well refers to health.

What are the comparative forms of good and well?

Both good and well use the same irregular forms: better (comparative) and best (superlative). As an adjective: good — better — best (a good idea, a better idea, the best idea). As an adverb: well — better — best (she sings well, she sings better now, she sings best when relaxed). Never say more good or most good — always use better and best.

Is "well done" using well as an adjective or adverb?

"Well done" uses well as an adverb modifying the past participle done. It means the task was completed to a good standard. As a fixed expression it is used to praise someone: Well done on passing your exam. In cookery, "well done" (hyphenated when before a noun: well-done steak) describes meat cooked thoroughly. Both uses treat well as an adverb.

Why do some people say "I am doing good"?

"I am doing good" is very common in American English informal speech, where good is used as an adverb. Strictly speaking, "I am doing well" is the grammatically correct form (well as an adverb modifying doing). However, "I am doing good" is so widespread, especially in informal contexts, that it is widely understood and accepted in conversation. In formal writing, use "I am doing well."

Can "well" come before a noun?

Well can appear before a noun when it is part of a compound adjective. In this case it is typically hyphenated: a well-known author, a well-dressed person, a well-organised event. These compound adjectives use well as a prefix combined with a past participle. Outside of compound adjectives, well does not normally appear directly before a standalone noun as a simple modifier.

Is "good" ever used as an adverb?

In standard formal English, good is not used as an adverb. However, in informal American English you may hear: He did real good, She plays good. These are considered non-standard. In British English, using good as an adverb is more likely to be considered an error. For formal writing, exams, and professional contexts, always use well as the adverb: he did really well, she plays well.

How do I know whether to use an adjective or adverb after a verb?

The key is the type of verb. After a linking verb (be, seem, look, feel, taste, sound, smell, appear, become), use an adjective describing the subject: the coffee smells good. After an action verb (run, speak, perform, work, play), use an adverb describing how the action is done: she runs well. Test: can you replace the verb with "is"? If yes, it's a linking verb — use an adjective.