I seem to hear the word "well" more than I used to. For example, if I ask someone how they slept last night. I am getting more,"I slept well last night," instead of "I slept good last night." Is "well" being used more these days, or it is just because I may be around a different set of people these days. Now, I know that I could look up the two words in the "unabridged," and read how the words are different and how they should be used, but I fear that I would not understand what I read. After all, I am just a "poor little country boy." So, are you hearing "well" more these days and "good" less?
2006-12-22 02:35:30 · 7 answers · asked by Bluebeard 1 in Education & Reference ➔ Words & Wordplay
Let's hope so. "Well" is an adverb and should be used to modify the verb "slept" in the example you gave. "Good" on the other hand is an adjective and should modify nouns and pronouns. If you're hearing "well" more often in the context of which you write, then you are hearing more correct grammar. Whether this is a function of the associations you are keeping or a generalized increase in use of correct grammar remains an unanswerable question.
2006-12-22 02:41:22 · answer #1 · answered by jurydoc 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Although you are a "poor little country boy," I recommend you visit your library and have a look at the multi-volume Oxford English Dictionary. It's a dictionary the size of a set of encyclopedias, and it explains all. You can look up a word and find the first known time it was used in literature and how it's changed over the years. I looked up the word "queer" for a class, and that got me hooked on the thing. Fascinating stuff.
2006-12-22 13:08:45 · answer #2 · answered by Jean Reville 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's correct Brit Eng taking over from Am Eng!
I slept well is correct, because "slept" is part of a verb and verbs are modified using adverbs, like "well".
I slept good is super-bad English, because "good" is an adjective and adjectives modify nouns. So, you could say, "I had a good sleep," but NEVER, "I slept good."
2006-12-22 12:15:29 · answer #3 · answered by JJ 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Indeed I do, and I hear "awesome", "amazing" incidentally I use well a lot more than I used to, doesn't language have an evolutionary tract? Did we add 100 new words to the dictionary this year and do you know what they are? I really like your question and you have a wonderful hobby. Thanks
2006-12-22 10:44:47 · answer #4 · answered by Conrey 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
"I slept good last night" is incorrect and "I slept well" is good. Maybe people's English is getting better?
2006-12-22 10:45:16 · answer #5 · answered by wilf69 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
its correct english morover well can be used quite often casually
2006-12-22 10:52:59 · answer #6 · answered by Raj 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
"WELL" that is very very interesting.. That is a type or form of llinguistics that I have not heard much about.. if anything
2006-12-22 10:39:08 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋