“Good” and “Well” Are Not the Same Word Doing the Same Job
How are you? I’m good.
Someone will tell you that should be I’m well. They are wrong, and the reason is worth having.
The parts of speech
- Good is an adjective. It describes nouns. A good book.
- Well is normally an adverb. It describes verbs. She writes well.
So she sings good is wrong — sings is an action, and actions take adverbs. She sings well.
Why “I’m good” is correct
Am is a linking verb, not an action. It connects the subject to a description of the subject, so what follows is an adjective.
This is the same rule that makes I feel bad correct rather than I feel badly — covered in our guide to feel bad and feel badly. I am good, I feel good, it smells good, that sounds good are all adjectives after linking verbs, and all correct.
The complication: “well” is also an adjective
When it means in good health, well is an adjective too. So I’m well is equally correct — it just means something narrower.
- I’m good. — I’m fine generally. Mood, circumstances, all of it.
- I’m well. — I am not ill.
Both are correct. They answer slightly different questions, and in most conversations the first is the one meant.
The one that genuinely changes meaning
- She looks good. — she is attractive, or she appears healthy. Good describes her.
- She looks well. — she appears to be in good health.
- She looks at it well. — she is skilled at looking. Rare, but that is what it says.
And the pair worth being careful with:
- He did good. — he did good deeds. A charity does good.
- He did well. — he performed effectively.
He did good is not an error when you mean the first thing. In American informal speech it is also used for the second, which is where the objection comes from.
The test
Ask what the word describes.
- Describing the person or thing → good.
- Describing how something was done → well.
The soup tastes good — the soup is good. She cooks well — the cooking is skilled. The soup tastes well would mean the soup has a refined sense of taste.
Checked against Merriam-Webster, the Chicago Manual of Style and the AP Stylebook. Spotted an error? Tell us — see our editorial policy.
