Dear Martha,

Can you give me guidelines on the proper use of the words "good" and "well"? For  instance, is it "I feel well" or "I feel good"? My husband and I debate the correct usage of these two words often. Thank you.

--Debbie B.

Dear Debbie,

Adjectives (such as "good") modify nouns. Adverbs (such as "well") modify verbs. Thus you have the two sentences: I'm a good cook; I cook well.

The reason people debate good and well is because of a tricky little thing called a linking verb. "Is" and "seem" are linking verbs. They "link" subjects with complements--or words that complete the meaning of the subject.

For example: He is nutty or He is a professor. Both nutty and professor are complements. Without the adjective "nutty" or the noun "professor," the man simply "is." While being may be enough for enlightened people, the sentence feels unbearably light on detail for the rest of us.

"Is" and "seem" aren't the only linking verbs. Other verbs that reflect a state of being, such as "appear," "prove," "remain," and "turn," can be linking verbs. So can verbs that relate to the senses, including "appear," "feel," "grow," "look," "smell," "sound," and "taste."

How do you know when a word is acting as a linking verb, and when it's not? If you can swap "is," "am," or "are" for the verb and the sentence still makes sense, then it's a linking verb.

For example, look at this sentence: Marty feels her leg. If the sentence reads Marty is her leg, then you know that "feels" is not acting as a linking verb here. Marty is not her leg. She is Marty.

The sentence Marty feels great, however, still makes sense when it reads Marty is great. So, this is an example of "feel" working as a linking verb.

If you're concluding that it's correct to say I feel good, then you're right. But we can't stop there. As with many things language-related, there is an exception to this linking-verb rule. That exception is for verbs relating to health. Experts say it's okay to use adverbs here.

You can say you're feeling well and still feel good about it. This is because there is a slightly different shade of meaning to feeling good vs. feeling well. You should use the one that best reflects your meaning.

So, how are these words different? To see the difference in action, turn to the classic James Brown song, "I Got You." Ignoring the hideous grammar in the title and elsewhere in this catchy tune, focus on the phrase "I feel good." What he's talking about is his emotional and mental state. He feels like sugar and spice because he's got you.

If he were singing "I feel well," he would be describing his health. And this is not what the song is about. The laxative commercial that uses this tune to sell its product could use the phrase "I feel well." But no one should ever sing about this particular kind of relief. I would be happy if no one ever spoke of it publicly--and I include myself in that camp. Starting right now.

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