Bad/badly

[Rachel Adams]

Hello.

When do you use ''bad'' as an adverb? I have seen it used as an adverb in the example #3 and in my other examples, as far as I know, it cannot be used. But I am not sure which rule it is based on.

1. ''She speaks good English.''

2. ''She speaks English well.''

3. ''I feel bad. I feel badly.''

4. ''She speaks English badly.''

 

[GoesStation]

In number 3, "bad" is an adjective modifying "I". Although native speakers often muddle this (I've done it myself), "badly" doesn't work there. It would be an adverb modifying "feel", so the sentence would, strictly speaking, mean "I'm not good at feeling."

 

[Yankee]

Hello.

When do you use ''bad'' as an adverb? I have seen it used as an adverb in the example #3 and in my other examples, as far as I know, it cannot be used. But I am not sure which rule it is based on.

1. ''She speaks good English.'' :tick:

2. ''She speaks English well.'' :tick:

3. ''I feel bad. :tick: I feel [STRIKE]badly[/STRIKE] poorly.''

4. ''She speaks English [STRIKE]badly[/STRIKE] poorly.''

Y

 

[GoesStation]

Yankee's last two sentences introduce poorly, a word which despite its form can be an adjective as well as an adverb (at least in American English). In Yankee's version of sentence 3, it's an adjective; it's an adverb in sentence 4.

 

[GoesStation]

I see nothing wrong with 'she speaks English badly'.

No. It's perfectly OK.

 

[Rachel Adams]

No. It's perfectly OK.

Why is ''She speaks English badly'' acceptable while ''She feels badly'' is not?

 

[GoesStation]

Why is ''She speaks English badly'' acceptable while ''She feels badly'' is not?

Because "badly" is an adverb.

"She speaks English badly." How does she speak English? Badly: her ability to speak English isn't good.

"She feels badly." How does she feel? Badly: her ability to feel things isn't good. There aren't many situations where you'd say this.

 

[Yankee]

Why is ''She speaks English badly'' acceptable while ''She feels badly'' is not?

Poorly and Badly are so close (synonymous) in meaning/use that it can become an issue of preference. I expressed my preferences in Post #3. Also, context, as usual, becomes an issue.

When it comes to health condition I would use "I feel poorly" (or "bad", but I wouldn't use or expect to hear "badly"). When it come to behavior, "I feel bad (not 'badly' or 'poorly'). I didn't get Rachel a gift for her birthday".

 

[Phaedrus]

Why is ''She speaks English badly'' acceptable while ''She feels badly'' is not?

"Feel" is a linking (copula-like) verb, so it works like "be," "look," "smell," etc., when followed by an adjective.

Compare: "She smells bad" means that she has an unpleasant smell; "She smells badly" means that she has difficulty using her olfactory sense.

 

[GoesStation]

"Feel" is a linking (copula-like) verb, so it works like "be," "look," "smell," etc., when followed by an adjective.

Compare: "She smells bad" means that she has an unpleasant smell; "She smells badly" means that she has difficulty using her olfactory sense.

Native speakers do frequently use "badly" as an adjective, though. I just had a chat with my sister in California. My ears pricked up when she said "I felt really badly about it."

Learners should not do this, but also shouldn't be surprised if they hear it.

 

[Yankee]

OK, but you struck out 'badly' as though it were incorrect.

My preference got in the way.

 

[jutfrank]

Native speakers do frequently use "badly" as an adjective, though.

And conversely, there are those who use bad as an adverb in casual, informal speech.

I need it bad.
I'm injured bad, Captain!

(Learners should not do this, either.)

 

[Rachel Adams]

Native speakers do frequently use "badly" as an adjective, though. I just had a chat with my sister in California. My ears pricked up when she said "I felt really badly about it."

Learners should not do this, but also shouldn't be surprised if they hear it.

It's given in the dictionary.
​feel badly to feel sorry or ashamed about something

• feel badly about something She felt badly about what she had done.
• feel badly for somebody I feel badly for the other guys on the team.

 

[Rover_KE]

It's given in the dictionary.

Which dictionary?

 

[Rachel Adams]

Which dictionary?

In Oxford advanced learner's dictionary.

 

[GoesStation]

In Oxford advanced learner's dictionary.

The dictionary is taking a descriptive approach, describing the language as it's used by many speakers. Many others consider "She felt badly" to be substandard, though. Learners should avoid it.

 

[Rachel Adams]

Y

''I feel bad.

I feel badlypoorly.'' You crossed it (badly) out because here you are talking about health. Am I right? If I feel guilty I can use I feel bad, I feel poorly and even I feel badly with ''badly'' being a nonstandard form. Is that right? Just reasking to make sure I don't misunderstand.

 

[Rachel Adams]

"Feel" is a linking (copula-like) verb, so it works like "be," "look," "smell," etc., when followed by an adjective.

Compare: "She smells bad" means that she has an unpleasant smell; "She smells badly" means that she has difficulty using her olfactory sense.

Is there a complete list of such verbs? It would be very helpful to study them. But what can be the meaninig of ''She looks badly''? I understand ''She looks bad'' as ''She is not looking well.'' I can't think of an example with ''be''.:shock:

 

[GoesStation]

I feel bad or, more commonly, I don't feel well, mean the same thing as I feel poorly. I don't think I've ever said the latter in my life. It sounds regional or dialectal to me.

 

[GoesStation]

It was very common among my grandmother (b.1895) and her generation in Hampshire, England. My mother may have used it. I don't think I have.

I almost added "quaint" to the adjectives in my previous post. Yankee's support for the term made me think it's still used in some regions of the United States, so I dropped it.