We’ve been addressing precision of language in technical writing because it can make a difference between more effective and less effective presentations. Three posts ago we addressed the proper use of tenet and tenant. Then we looked at the phrase cannot help but. And in the last post we examined the proper use of the word per.
In this post we’ll stay on that precision in language train by examining two words that are often erroneously used interchangeably. I’m talking about good and well.
Yes, these two words are often used interchangeably in spoken English. But as any long-time reader of this blog will tell you, there’s a significant difference between spoken English and written English. These two animals are related but not the same.
Good and well provide excellent examples. Good is an adjective, but well is an adverb. Adjectives modify only nouns, but adverbs modify verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs. Spoken English may allow them to be exchanged without concern, but more effective written English respects the structural roles they play in a sentence.
For example, we could say
In this post we’ll stay on that precision in language train by examining two words that are often erroneously used interchangeably. I’m talking about good and well.
Yes, these two words are often used interchangeably in spoken English. But as any long-time reader of this blog will tell you, there’s a significant difference between spoken English and written English. These two animals are related but not the same.
Good and well provide excellent examples. Good is an adjective, but well is an adverb. Adjectives modify only nouns, but adverbs modify verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs. Spoken English may allow them to be exchanged without concern, but more effective written English respects the structural roles they play in a sentence.
For example, we could say
The presentation went good.
Such a sentence would find acceptance in many corners of the world of spoken English. However, it represents less effective written English. Good is an adjective, but here the word is used as an adverb because it modifies the noun went by telling us how the presentation went. Replacing good with the more structurally correct well makes a difference.
The presentation went well.
Precision of language can provide that extra level of professionalism which will reflect back on you and your brand in the minds of your audience. That’s why it produces more effective writing. So it’s all good and well not to confuse good and well. Give proper attention to precision in your language when you write. That in turn will yield a more effective presentation of you and your brand.
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