badly or bad?
Bad is an adjective; it is also a highly informal adverb meaning "badly," a usage that has never gained acceptance in formal writing. Substitute badly for bad in sentences like these: The sacked quarterback was hurting bad.The Southeast needs rain bad.My back ached so bad that I had to lie down. Another problem is whether or not to use bad or badly after the verb feel. After this verb, use the adjective bad, not the adverb badly, if you mean that you are experiencing, or feeling, physical distress: After chemotherapy, I felt bad. On the other hand, if you are experiencing or feeling emotional - not physical - distress, use the adverb badly, not the adjective bad: I feel badly about the accident because it was entirely my fault. In the last example, badly works just like some other -ly adverbs, such as strongly or emphatically, in conveying the idea of emotions, as in The President feels strongly [not strong] about the need for both sides of the armed conflict to return to the negotiating table.The leaders feel emphatically [not emphatic] that each side must prove good faith before they will resume their talks.
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