Well and Good

Dad ended every phone conversation with “Do good in school,” encouraging us to earn good grades even when school hallways were distant shadows in our rearview mirrors. I worked in schools in one capacity or another most of my life, and many of his grandkids were still in school, so his final blessing still applied to some of us. Sort of. Regardless of our school status, we never corrected his grammar or told him it to stop after we graduated. “Do good in school” was too much of a beloved “dad-ism” that basically meant “I love you.”

Did Dad know the difference between good and well? Sure. But he grew up in Eastchester, NY, and the neighborhood guys all said stuff like “you done good” and “you’re doing good.” This was long before Michael Imperioli won his Emmy award for playing Christopher Moltisanti with his famous saying “you were doing so good” on The Sopranos.

So, if you’re not an Eastchester native or a guest star on The Sopranos, when do you use “good” and when do you use “well”? The answer is more nuanced than one might think.

Dad’s Intentions

In general, good is either a noun or an adjective. Well is a bit more versatile. It is predominantly an adverb, but it can also be a noun (if you are digging deep), an interjection (one of those phrases that just pops out of our mouths in moments of excitement or a need to fill the silence), a verb, or an adjective when used with linking verbs such as look or seem or feel.

“To do good” uses good as a noun. “Do good in school,” when translated grammatically, means “work for the betterment of all while you are enrolled in an educational institution.” Dad swelled with pride whenever we achieved this lofty goal, but it was not the intention of his saying.

Dad wanted us to work hard to earn solid grades, so he should have exhorted us with “do well in school.” Here, well is the adverb that modifies the verb do. This would translate to what he meant in the first place. But it would not sound as cool—or like Dad.

Examples of Correct Usage

Good as a noun:

·      Charlotte accomplished much good in in her community through her service.

·      “A lot of good that will do me!” Bart complained about the compromise offered.

Good as an adjective:

·      “Who’s a good girl?” Uncle John warbled in a high voice to his puppy Eliza.

·      The dinner tasted so good that almost everyone went for seconds.

Well as an adverb:

·      Sylvia dances well; I bet she wins her next competition.

·      Phil’s paintball captors treated him well, releasing him with his dignity somewhat intact.

Well as a noun:

·      “What’s that, Lassie? Timmy has fallen in the well?”

·      Barnaby dug into the well of his memories when trying to remember the details.

Well as an interjection:

·      Well, well, well! What do we have here?

·      She looked . . . well . . . like she had fallen—fully dressed—into the pool.

Well as a verb:

·      The beaver smiled proudly as he watched the water well up near his new dam.

·      Act II caused tears to well in Armand’s eyes.

Well as an adjective:

·      Katie, you look pale. Are you feeling well?

·      All seemed well when Joaquin saw the baby slept soundly.

The Problem—Or Is It?

Dad talked the way he talked, and his meaning was always clear. Apply this thought to your writing, keeping intention, character, region, and genre top of mind to determine the appropriate use of good and well. If writing fictional dialogue, think about the words and phrases your characters use, and it won’t always be grammatically correct. Does the character use good grammar and speak well, or do they talk good? Give your proofreader or copy editor notes about this in your style guide.

In contrast, correct usage is essential in formal communications and academic papers. If in doubt, hire a proofreader to do the good you need to make sure your product turns out well. 

Closing SAT Wisdom

Leaving the testing center, juniors and seniors loudly released post-SAT tension enroute to cars and rides home. One student, let’s call him Alex, leapt up, punched the air, and shouted, “I did f*@#ing good on the verbal!” His compadres hooted and hollered in response. My friend and I whispered to each other, “You did f*@#ing well on the verbal section.”

Mic drop.