feel bad vs. feel badly
Linguistic Reminder
(This reminder is available in English only.)
Problem
Do you feel badly? Don't! Or at least, you shouldn't. Many people mistakenly say and write feel badly when they really mean feel bad.
Solution
When the verb feel expresses an emotion or a state of being, it acts as a linking verb and requires the adjective bad, not the adverb badly.
The table below shows how feel bad can be used.
| USE FEEL BAD WHEN YOU FEEL . . . | |
|---|---|
| sorry | The scandal has ruined Jack's career, and I feel bad for him. |
| guilty | I feel bad about how I took pleasure in his misfortune when I first heard about it. |
| sad | I also feel bad that Jack's dog was accidentally run over last week. |
| sympathetic | After going through something similar myself, I now feel bad about his hardship. |
| sick | In fact, I feel so bad, I think I might faint. |
Note: While correct, the expression "feel bad" is less formal in tone. In formal writing and speaking, you may prefer one of the equivalents listed above.
Linguistic Recommendation reference number
REM-31/2011-04
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