Hey there! This is TOP episode 273. Good vs Well
Are you tired of lacking confidence when speaking English? Does it block you from achieving your true goals? This podcast is the place for you. This is Teacher Ola Podcast. My name’s Ola Mierniczak and I empower English learners to become confident speakers. The key to fluency is in your pocket. You’ll boost your vocabulary, brush up your grammar and improve your pronunciation. Enjoy your journey to fluency!
Today, we’re looking into one of the most confusing pairs in English: ‘good’ and ‘well’. Don’t worry, though—by the end of this episode, you’ll have a clear understanding of when to use each one.
Before we begin, let me tell you that very soon, on the 19th of January I’m hosting a free English class for you. This class is a vocabulary lesson, the topic is HEALTH and you’ll learn lots of phrases connected to healthy lifestyle, doctor’s appointments, symptoms, emergency situations. So, I picked this particular topic because it’s the beginning of the year and I know many of us want to start leading a healthier, more responsible life. Hence, I thought let’s learn some vocabulary that will help us describe all those topics in English. To sign up for this free class you need to go to teacherola.com/webinar. You can also click the link in the description or in the show notes to this episode. The class takes place on the 19 January, it’s Sunday at 8 pm.
Another exciting news is that Adventure group, one of my SIOL groups, is ending their journey inside my course, so that opens a spot for a new group. So if you feel like this year you want to take your English to the next level and start speaking it with ease and fluency I’m so happy for you! The door to the SIOL course opens on the 19th of January! Ok! That’s it when it comes to news, time for some grammar. Let’s go!
Let’s start with ‘good’ and ‘bad’. These two are adjectives, which means they describe nouns—people, places, things, or ideas. Here are a couple of examples:
- I gave a good presentation at today’s meeting. (Here, ‘good’ describes the noun ‘presentation’.)
- Scout, a bad dog, ate an entire bag of snacks! (In this case, ‘bad’ describes dog.)
Adjectives like ‘good’ and ‘bad’ give us more information about nouns, helping us paint a clearer picture.
Good food
Bad behavior
Good choice
Bad decision
Good idea
Bad solution
Good mood
Bad atmosphere
Good friend
Good friend
Bad reputation
Good teacher
Bad parent
Now, let’s talk about ‘well’ and ‘badly’. These are adverbs, which means they describe verbs—actions. For example:
- The essay was particularly well written. (Here, ‘well’ describes the verb ‘written’. How was it written? It was written well. It was a good essay, it was well written.)
- Scout slept badly after his snack attack. (In this case, ‘badly’ describes ‘slept’. How did he sleep? He slept badly.)
Adverbs like ‘well’ and ‘badly’ often answer questions like how something was done.
Here’s where it gets interesting: ‘well’ can also act as an adjective in one specific context—health.
If someone asks, How are you?, you can answer, I am well, or I feel well. This means you’re healthy!
You might also say, I feel good—especially if you’re referring to your mental or emotional state. This is a bit more informal but perfectly fine in casual situations.
Here’s a tip: If you can replace ‘well’ with ‘healthy’ in a sentence, then ‘well’ works as an adjective there.
To make it crystal clear, here are some examples of these words in action:
- I gave a good speech this morning. (Adjective: ‘good’ describes speech.)
- The report was well written. (Adverb: ‘well’ describes how it was written.)
- Scaut is a bad dog. (Adjective: ‘bad’ describes dog.)
- Scout behaved badly during training. (Adverb: ‘badly’ describes how he behaved.)
Mastering these words will not only help you speak and write more accurately, but it will also boost your confidence. Plus, understanding when to use good, well, bad, and badly can save you from those moments of hesitation when you’re expressing yourself in English.
Let’s practise now! Listen, memorise and repeat out loud these sentences:
This restaurant always has good food.
Wearing a jacket was a good choice.
Skipping breakfast was a bad decision.
She’s in a good mood today—ask her now.
A good friend is always there for you.
This dish is cooked really well.
He behaved badly during the meeting.
You planned the trip well; everything went smoothly.
She took the news badly and needed some time alone.
The project was done so well that everyone was impressed.
If you want to practice more, try creating a few sentences using these words. Pay attention to whether you’re describing a noun (then use an adjective:” good, bad) or an action (then use an adverb: well or badly). Don’t forget to download a free worksheet that will summarise and help you memorise today’s episode. You’ll find it in your inbox or if you’re new here please go to teacherola.com/273.
Alright, that’s it for today’s episode! I hope you found it useful and enjoyed learning with me. Don’t forget, my free English class is happening very soon—on the 19th of January at 8 pm. We’ll dive into all things HEALTH, and I promise you’ll leave with lots of practical phrases for doctor’s appointments, symptoms, emergencies, and more.
If you haven’t signed up yet, go to teacherola.com/webinar or simply click the link in the description or show notes. It’s completely free, so don’t miss this opportunity!
Also, a quick reminder that the doors to my Say It Out Loud course open on the same day, January 19th. If speaking English fluently and confidently is your goal for this year, this is your chance!
Thank you so much for listening. I’ll see you in the next episode!
I believe in you, I know you can speak English with fluency IF you really want it! Stay fearless, take care and say it out loud! I’m your teacher, Teacher Ola, and you were listening to Teacher Ola Podcast. Bye for now.