Comments on: Bad vs. Badly

By: Jane

Jane — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 23:52:32 +0000

If you want to modify a noun or pronoun, use the adjective bad.
We had a bad storm.

If you want to modify a verb that is not a sense verb, use the adverb badly.
She was hurt badly in the tornado.

By: Jane

Jane — Tue, 18 Dec 2012 21:28:13 +0000

The word want is not a linking verb. Linking verbs are forms of to be or "sense" verbs such as look, feel, smell, taste, appear, seem, and sound. Adjectives do not modify verbs, but adjectives follow linking verbs and modify the noun that comes after the linking verb. I want money so badly. The meat tastes bad.

By: Nancy Grace

Nancy Grace — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 02:44:16 +0000

How do you know when to use bad and when to use badly?

By: Mike

Mike — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 19:54:55 +0000

Gosh, I am reluctant to mention this, because you are the expert, Jane, and I’m probably about to make a fool of myself. But in the sentence ‘I want money so bad or badly’, I thought ‘want’ was a linking verb (state-of-being verb), and, therefore, the adjective bad must be used. Isn’t the rule that you use adjectives to modify linking verbs and adverbs to modify action verbs?

Can you help me understand my mistake, please.

By: Jane

Jane — Sat, 08 Oct 2011 22:38:26 +0000

You need to use a word that describes the verb want. The word badly is an adverb that answers how about the verb want. I want money so badly I can taste it.

By: Shawn

Shawn — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 17:43:06 +0000

Hi,

Thanks for the examples. However, I have one that I’m not sure of.

“I want money so bad I can taste it.”
“I want money so badly I can taste it.”

Which of the two is correct? If my guess is correct, the first sentence should be used as “want” is a state of being/mind (right?).