I don’t speak English very well. Good is an adjective: ‘She is a very good singer.’ Well is an adverb: ‘She sings very well.’ 2
I hope I’ll do good in tomorrow’s test.
I hope I’ll do well in tomorrow’s test. If you are successful (in a test, interview etc), you do well (in it): ‘I did quite well in maths and chemistry but my physics result was very disappointing.’ 3
My sister is very good in squash,
My sister is very good at squash. I’m not very good in writing essays.
I’m not very good at writing essays. be good at (doing) sth : ‘He’s good at all science subjects.’ ‘Are you any good at chess? 4
There’s no good putting a very young child in a kindergarten.
It’s no good putting a very young child in a kindergarten. It’s no good to want to help the poor if you don’t do anything about it.
It’s no good wanting to help the poor if you don’t do anything about it. it is no good/use ( doing sth ) = it is pointless: ‘It’s no good having a car if you can’t drive.’ 5
See Language Note at DO goods He had very little money and very few goods.
He had very little money and very few possessions. goods = things that are made to be sold: ‘The supermarket has a wide variety of frozen goods.’ ‘The average family’s weekly expenditure on goods and services has risen by 20%.’ possessions = all the things that a person owns: ‘After his mother died, Andrew had the unpleasant task of sorting through her possessions.’
