Macmillan Holdings, LLC. Grammar Girl, Grammar Girl's, QDnow, and Quick and Dirty Tips are all trademarks of Macmillan Holdings, LLC. Today's topic is bad versus badly. Rob grammar I just wanted to say that I think Amy has hit the nail on the head as to the actual source of confusion here. In school we put so much effort into distinguishing 'good' from 'well' as adjective and adverb, respectively, that when we say something like 'i don't feel well,' we don't realize that this is a completely different well, an adjective meaning 'healthy.' Then people assume, by extension, that the opposite of this 'well' must be 'badly,' when in fact it is 'unwell.' When asked how I am, I've always responded 'good,' and I must admit, I've taken a lot of pleasure in setting straight the few people who've thought it fit to 'correct' my usage. http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/bad-versus-badly.aspx?commentid=19696#Comments http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/bad-versus-badly.aspx?commentid=19696#Comments Tue, 13 Oct 2009 01:35:00 GMT Amy grammar I think the word "well" is what tends to confuse people to most on this whole issue. They try to apply how that word is used to tell them whether they should be saying "I feel bad/badly" and "You look good/well". What I don't think most people realize is that "well" is both an adverb (i.e. "satisfactorily") and an adjective (i.e. "healthy") can thus be correct in multiple scenarios, whereas "bad" is an adjective, while "badly" is an adverb. When someoone says a person is or looks "well", that means healthy. When someone does something "well", that means "satisfactorily". BTW, "well" is a fascinating word in that it can also be a noun, verb, and interjection. If you count we'll, it's also a contraction! http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/bad-versus-badly.aspx?commentid=19661#Comments http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/bad-versus-badly.aspx?commentid=19661#Comments Sat, 10 Oct 2009 22:38:45 GMT Annie grammar Isn't it as simple as saying that feel is most commonly used as a linking verb, and the rule is that a predicate adjective follows a linking verb; therefore, bad is the correct usage? http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/bad-versus-badly.aspx?commentid=19212#Comments http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/bad-versus-badly.aspx?commentid=19212#Comments Tue, 15 Sep 2009 02:44:28 GMT Jim grammar How about providing a list of words and phrases that are so commonly used incorrectly, that to use them in the correct manner (or pronounce them correctly)would cause one to appear to be wrong? http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/bad-versus-badly.aspx?commentid=18747#Comments http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/bad-versus-badly.aspx?commentid=18747#Comments Wed, 02 Sep 2009 04:50:40 GMT Darren grammar THe company is or are. It's one company, but there are many people in the company. My parents are. two people or one set of parents? http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/bad-versus-badly.aspx?commentid=18309#Comments http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/bad-versus-badly.aspx?commentid=18309#Comments Sun, 09 Aug 2009 16:33:40 GMT Lori grammar Finally,an answer i have been long awaiting! Thanks for your in put as i thought using the word badly after i feel sounded strangly ; ) LOL http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/bad-versus-badly.aspx?commentid=18075#Comments http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/bad-versus-badly.aspx?commentid=18075#Comments Tue, 28 Jul 2009 15:27:20 GMT Jairamie grammar Is this sentence correct: "i feel SO VERY BADLY" http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/bad-versus-badly.aspx?commentid=17577#Comments http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/bad-versus-badly.aspx?commentid=17577#Comments Fri, 26 Jun 2009 04:28:34 GMT Padrinho grammar So badly, can also mean something like [very much] as in. If you need that [so bad/badly], why don't you just go to the store and buy it. The meaning then, is the opposite. Is this, then a "regionalism of Wisconsin"? I'm trying to translate it into another language Portuguese) and everyone corrects me to the opposite meaning: bad thing. (tal malo-Spanish/ tão malo-Portuguese. How would you reword it, so the translator will give the correct answer? http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/bad-versus-badly.aspx?commentid=17233#Comments http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/bad-versus-badly.aspx?commentid=17233#Comments Sun, 31 May 2009 13:42:34 GMT bad grammar No, you are absolutely wrong in the case of feeling "badly". The words sad, mad, happy, etc., define an emotion. It is not a feeling in the sense of "touch". It does not signify your ability to feel. It is appropriate to say I feel sad, I feel mad, I feel happy, etc. But, "bad" is NOT an “emotion”. You cannot feel badness? And, you're not a bad girl or bad boy. In the case of "bad", it is understood you are feeling “badly” for someone or about a situation. The correct phraseology IS “I feel badly” (for you); “I feel badly” (about your circumstances). http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/bad-versus-badly.aspx?commentid=17016#Comments http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/bad-versus-badly.aspx?commentid=17016#Comments Sat, 16 May 2009 21:27:08 GMT Bill grammar Hi, I have had a lingering question regarding something similar to the topic of this article. Which is correct, "That was me," or, "That was I"? The verb "to be" is a linking verb, so it seems that the latter would be correct. In addition, the phrase "Who is who" pops up a lot (whether it is correct or not I do not know). This phrase would suggest both the subject and the object (if that is what they're called in that instance) take on the subjective form. Thanks http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/bad-versus-badly.aspx?commentid=16848#Comments http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/bad-versus-badly.aspx?commentid=16848#Comments Tue, 05 May 2009 00:18:13 GMT Tue, 13 Oct 2009 01:35:00 GMT http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/bad-versus-badly.aspx feedback@quickanddirtytips.com (Managing Editor) feedback@quickanddirtytips.com (Webmaster) en-us