This Is All Well and Good. But Sometimes

• Dwelling
• General & Business organisation English

• Grammar, Vocabulary & Pronunciation

• Quizzes
• The Flatmates
• For teachers
• Specials
• About u.s.a.
• Downloads

Y'all are in:	Abode > Grammar, Vocabulary & Pronunciation > Ask near English language
Learning English

				Sven Wagner from Sweden asks: Why do yous apply good instead of well in the following phrase?: 'We eat good and drink well.' (An English colleague put information technology that mode.)

			good = adjective well = adverb Therefore it has to be nosotros eat well as we are describing how we swallow and drink. It might exist said that adverbs answer the question How…? whilst adjectives respond the question What sort of…? Study the following: 'She speaks good Japanese.' 'She speaks Japanese well.' 'She speaks Japanese better than I do.' Note that better is the comparative form of both good and well.

			In English language, nosotros oftentimes play effectually with bones linguistic communication, whether consciously or unconsciously, for effect. So, whilst 'we eat well and drink well' would be grammatically correct, 'we eat good and drink well' may be more than effective in terms of impact because it breaks the grammatical rule. I would non recommend it, however, if you are taking an exam, but it volition sound good over a drink with friends.

			Why not sound well in this particular example? Information technology is because when nosotros utilise verbs such as exist, seem, announced, sound, look, feel, aroma, taste, they are followed by adjectives rather than adverbs as nosotros are describing the bailiwick of the judgement rather than the action of the verb. So nosotros have: 'She looks really practiced in those clothes.' 'The nutrient at the reception tasted actually good - meliorate than the food we had last year.' 'At that place's no way he'll get a stardom, merely the piece of work he's done appears adept enough for a laissez passer.' 'I felt really expert when she congratulated me on winning the essay prize.'

			For similar reasons we would talk most: A expert-looking woman. A good-natured boy. (proficient describes his nature) Merely we would also say: A well-dressed woman. (well tells usa how she dresses) A well-behaved boy. (well tells us how he behaves) Expect upwardly good and well in your dictionaries to run across if you lot can find further examples of adjectives formed in this manner.

			The only time when well can be used as an adjective by itself is when nosotros are talking nigh someone'south health. Here well means in practiced wellness. Compare the following: 'How are y'all today?' 'Fine. Very well, thanks. / Not very well, really.' 'I often feel unwell when I'1000 on a boat, simply as soon as I get off, I'm fine.

			Note that the expression well and good is used to indicate that yous find a particular situation satisfactory or acceptable. Thus, nosotros might say: 'If yous can do the job in less time and exit early on, I don't listen. That's (all very) well and proficient.' 'If yous want to stay here on your ain over Christmas, well and good.

			Incidentally, in that location is now a trend amid young people, particularly in the eighteen - 25 age range, to use well instead of very in expressions like: 'I am well happy with that.' 'I was well tired last nighttime. 'She was well pleased with her birthday present.' Again it breaks the rule and is constructive in the impact information technology makes. Well used in this style frequently refers to exceptional circumstances or is used as a summary argument. I wonder if this creative apply of the English language has reached y'all all the same in your function of the world?

arambulamits1964.blogspot.com

Source: https://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/grammar/learnit/learnitv36.shtml

Share this post