speak good English / English well

[sitifan]

1. He speaks good English.
2. He speaks English well.
What's the difference in meaning between the above two sentences?

[5jj]

1. He speaks good English.
2. He speaks English well.
What's the difference in meaning between the above two sentences?

That depends on the wider context.

#1 may mean that the language he uses is of a good quality, rich in vicabulary and well-turned sentences. It is unlikely, but this sentence could be used of a native speaker
#2 may mean that he speaks English smoothly and fluently, with not many obvious signs of non-native speech patterns.

In practice, they probably both mean the same - #2

[payal desai]

It is unlikely, but this sentence could be used of a native speaker.

What does it mean?

[5jj]

It is unlikely, but this sentence could be used of a native speaker.

It means that if you hear a native speaker making effective use of words, or using what you consider to be an attractive accent, you could say that he speaks good English. It would also be possible to say that he speaks a good English (= a good type of English)

[payal desai]

Got it, thanks.