Bad vs. Badly

What is the difference?

There are many pairs of confusing words in English. Bad and badly are two commonly confused words in the English language. When and how do you use each one?

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Bad

Bad is an adjective. An adjective is a word that describes a person, place, or thing.

Definitions of bad:

• opposite of good
• poor quality
• not healthy, or painful

In English, bad is often used after linking verbs such as

• the verb "to be" (am, is, was, were, are)
• seem
• feel
• become
• appear
  

• The house is in bad condition after the fire.
• This seems like a bad book.
• Your English isn't so bad.
• He will become a bad dog if you don't train him.
• It was a bad report card.
• Her health is pretty bad.
• I have a bad back.

• The children performed bad on the worksheet.
• You don't speak English bad.
• Nick sings bad.
• The painter paints bad.
  

Badly

Badly is an adverb. Adverbs describe actions.

Definitions of badly:

• in a bad way
• very much
• severely or seriously

Badly is often used after action verbs. Action verbs describe activity or movement.

These sentences are correct:

• We played badly and lost the game.
• She sang badly.
• She wanted the job badly.
• Was John hurt badly in the accident?
• The table was badly damaged. 

These sentences are incorrect:

• He spoke badly French.
• I had a dream badly.
• It was badly news.
• He looks badly after the fight.
  

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Action verb or linking verb?

Is it an action verb or a linking verb? Some verbs can be used as action verbs and linking verbs in different sentences.

Action verbs are usually easier to use and understand. Action verbs show activity or movement.

• Example: I kick the ball.
  
  In this example, the action verb is kick. Kick is a movement.

Linking verbs connect the subject of the sentence to information about that subject.

• Example: I am happy.
  
  In this example, the linking verb is am. Am connects the subject (I) to information about the subject (happy). Am is a "to be" verb.

Verbs that deal with the senses are sometimes used as action verbs and sometimes used as linking verbs. (senses = taste, touch, smell, hear, see)

Remember:

If a verb is used to describe an action, it is an action verb.

If a verb is used to describe a feeling, it is a linking verb.

Here are a few verbs that can be used as action verbs and linking verbs.

	Action Verb	Linking Verb
feel	to touch something; to be aware of something physically (pain, heat, an object) I felt the soft pillow. He feels pain from his sunburn.	used to describe or ask about someone's physical or mental state Do you feel ok? I feel sad today.
smell	to use your nose to smell something I smelled the flower. Did you smell the smoke from the fire?	to have an odor The garbage smells. The refrigerator smells like apples.
taste	to sense a flavor of food or drink I taste garlic in the sauce. I tasted the coffee and put more sugar in it.	to have a certain taste The milk tastes sour. The apples taste sweet.
look	to use your eyes to see something The teacher looked at me. I looked at the painting.	to seem to be something He looks angry. He looks like he is hurt.
appear	to become visible; to arrive The stars appeared in the night sky. The cat appears at our house every morning.	to seem to be something; to have a certain characteristic She appears angry. He appears to be hurt.

Let's practice!

Now, it is your turn to try! Complete each sentence by choosing bad or badly. Then, scroll below the pictures for the correct answers.

Answers:

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