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mcelroytutoring
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Expert reply
Updated on: 12 Jul 2016, 19:28
Originally posted by mcelroytutoring on 11 Jul 2016, 15:33.
Last edited by mcelroytutoring on 12 Jul 2016, 19:28, edited 19 times in total.
Last edited by mcelroytutoring on 12 Jul 2016, 19:28, edited 19 times in total.
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Don’t worry; if you’re one of the many people who says “I am well” and/or “I feel differently” (both incorrect) during normal conversation, then I won’t feel good (yes, James Brown had it right all along!) about correcting you. ; )
First of all, let’s define the verb “to be” (I am, you are, she is, etc.). Yes, it is a verb, but it is not an action verb; instead it is a verb that indicates a state of being, better known as a linking verb.
For linking verbs that indicate states of being, such as “to be” and “to feel”, we should NOT use adverbs (such as "well" and "differently") to modify them. Instead we should use adjectives, to describe ourselves (people are nouns) instead of the verb itself. That’s why we say “I am hungry” instead of “I am hungrily” and “I feel happy” instead of “I feel happily.”
Another issue with the verb “to feel” is that it has another, more literal definition: to touch with your hands. If I use an adverb next to the verb “feel,” then it suggests this more literal definition of the verb.
Thus, you should not say “I feel differently” unless you are, for example, referring to your different style of reading braille. And you should not say “I do not feel well” unless you are specifically referencing an illness (or lack thereof), in which case "well" would be used not as an adverb, but as an adjective (well vs. unwell).
To summarize:
I feel well = incorrect unless specifically referencing a previous illness
I feel good = correct
I am feeling well = incorrect unless specifically referencing an illness
I am feeling good = correct
I am well = incorrect unless specifically referencing an illness
I am good = correct
I am doing well = correct
I feel differently = incorrect
I feel different = correct
Other examples of linking verbs (also known as intransitive linking verbs) that should be modified by adjectives instead of adverbs:
to seem
to appear
to grow (old, wise, weary, etc.)
to look
to remain
to sound
to stay
to taste
-Brian
First of all, let’s define the verb “to be” (I am, you are, she is, etc.). Yes, it is a verb, but it is not an action verb; instead it is a verb that indicates a state of being, better known as a linking verb.
For linking verbs that indicate states of being, such as “to be” and “to feel”, we should NOT use adverbs (such as "well" and "differently") to modify them. Instead we should use adjectives, to describe ourselves (people are nouns) instead of the verb itself. That’s why we say “I am hungry” instead of “I am hungrily” and “I feel happy” instead of “I feel happily.”
Another issue with the verb “to feel” is that it has another, more literal definition: to touch with your hands. If I use an adverb next to the verb “feel,” then it suggests this more literal definition of the verb.
Thus, you should not say “I feel differently” unless you are, for example, referring to your different style of reading braille. And you should not say “I do not feel well” unless you are specifically referencing an illness (or lack thereof), in which case "well" would be used not as an adverb, but as an adjective (well vs. unwell).
To summarize:
I feel well = incorrect unless specifically referencing a previous illness
I feel good = correct
I am feeling well = incorrect unless specifically referencing an illness
I am feeling good = correct
I am well = incorrect unless specifically referencing an illness
I am good = correct
I am doing well = correct
I feel differently = incorrect
I feel different = correct
Other examples of linking verbs (also known as intransitive linking verbs) that should be modified by adjectives instead of adverbs:
to seem
to appear
to grow (old, wise, weary, etc.)
to look
to remain
to sound
to stay
to taste
-Brian
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RaghavSingla
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11 Jul 2016, 15:42
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Sorry, but I didn't understand all of it.
I am hungry - correct because it tells my state. Here, it tells how I am feeling.
I am well - Incorrect? Why? Is it not telling that I am feeling well?
If incorrect, what is the right usage to describe that I am well - I am feeling well?
I am hungry - correct because it tells my state. Here, it tells how I am feeling.
I am well - Incorrect? Why? Is it not telling that I am feeling well?
If incorrect, what is the right usage to describe that I am well - I am feeling well?
mcelroytutoring
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Joined: 10 Jul 2015
Last visit: 15 Nov 2025
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Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 282
Status:Expert GMAT, GRE, and LSAT Tutor / Coach
Affiliations: Harvard University, A.B. with honors in Government, 2002
Location: United States (CO)
Age: 45 (10 years and counting on GMAT Club!)
GMAT 1: 770 Q47 V48
GMAT 2: 730 Q44 V47
GMAT 3: 750 Q50 V42
GMAT 4: 730 Q48 V42 (Online)
GRE 1: Q168 V169
GRE 2: Q170 V170
Expert reply
Updated on: 12 Jul 2016, 11:07
Originally posted by mcelroytutoring on 11 Jul 2016, 15:49.
Last edited by mcelroytutoring on 12 Jul 2016, 11:07, edited 4 times in total.
Last edited by mcelroytutoring on 12 Jul 2016, 11:07, edited 4 times in total.
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RaghavSingla
No problem--it's a very common mistake.
Unless you are referencing an illness, "I am well" is incorrect because "am" is not an action verb and thus should not be modified by an adverb. In a general sense, "I am doing well" or "I'm good" is the correct usage.
"I am feeling well" is also incorrect for the same reason (neither "to be" nor "to feel" are action verbs, so adding another verb doesn't help here), unless you are specifically referencing your recovery from an illness. In that case, the word "well" is not being used as an adverb, but as an adjective (well vs. unwell). If, as in most cases, you are saying it in a more general, "hey, how are you?" kind of conversational way, then "I am feeling good" is the correct response.
One trick is to extend the sentence using a prepositional phrase, to see what feels more natural (notice that I didn't write "feels more naturally"). For example, would you say "I am well at the GMAT" or "I am good at the GMAT"? Would you say "I am feeling well about my GMAT score" or "I am feeling good about my GMAT score"? Hopefully you can see that the latter versions are much better. Thus, this trick helps the correct answer to become more clear.
