I. DISCOURSE USES
Frequency: The word is one of the 700 most common words in English.
Note: 'Well' is used mainly in spoken English.
Please look at category 13 to see if the expression you are looking for is shown under another headword.
1.
You say ~ to indicate that you are about to say something.
Well, I don’t like the look of that.
ADV: ADV cl
2.
You say ~ to indicate that you intend or want to carry on speaking.
The trouble with City is that they do not have enough quality players. Well, that can easily be rectified.
ADV: ADV cl
3.
You say ~ to indicate that you are changing the topic, and are either going back to something that was being discussed earlier or are going on to something new.
Well, let’s press on.
= anyway, so
ADV: ADV cl
4.
You say ~ to indicate that you have reached the end of a conversation.
‘I’m sure you will be an asset,’ she finally added. ‘Well, I see it’s just about time for lunch.’...
ADV: ADV cl
5.
You say ~ to make a suggestion, criticism, or correction seem less definite or rude.
Well, maybe it would be easier to start with a smaller problem...
Well, let’s wait and see...
ADV: ADV cl
6.
You say ~ just before or after you pause, especially to give yourself time to think about what you are going to say.
Look, I’m really sorry I woke you, and, ~, I just wanted to tell you I was all right.
ADV: ADV cl
7.
You say ~ when you are correcting something that you have just said.
The comet is going to come back in 2061 and we are all going to be able to see it. Well, our offspring are, anyway...
ADV: ADV cl/group
8.
You say ~ to express your doubt about something that someone has said.
‘But finance is far more serious.’—‘Well I don’t know really.’
ADV: ADV cl feelings
9.
You say ~ to express your surprise or anger at something that someone has just said or done.
Well, honestly! They’re like an old married couple at times.
EXCLAM feelings
10.
You say ~ to indicate that you are waiting for someone to say something and often to express your irritation with them.
‘Well?’ asked Barry, ‘what does it tell us?’...
‘Well, why don’t you ask me?’ he said finally.
= so
CONVENTION feelings
11.
You use ~ to indicate that you are amused by something you have heard or seen, and often to introduce a comment on it.
Well, ~, ~, look at you. Ethel, look at this little fat girl...
CONVENTION feelings
12.
You say oh ~ to indicate that you accept a situation or that someone else should accept it, even though you or they are not very happy about it, because it is not too bad and cannot be changed.
Oh ~, it could be worse...
‘I called her and she said no.’—‘Oh ~.’
CONVENTION feelings
13.
very ~: see very
II. ADVERB USES
(better, best)
Frequency: The word is one of the 700 most common words in English.
1.
If you do something ~, you do it to a high standard or to a great extent.
All the Indian batsmen played ~...
He speaks English better than I do...
It is a formula that worked very ~ indeed...
I don’t really know her very ~.
ADV: ADV after v
2.
If you do something ~, you do it thoroughly and completely.
Mix all the ingredients ~...
Wash your hands ~ with soap.
= thoroughly
ADV: ADV after v
3.
If you speak or think ~ of someone, you say or think favourable things about them.
‘He speaks ~ of you.’—‘I’m glad to hear that.’...
It might help people think better of him.
ADV: ADV after v
4.
Well is used in front of past participles to indicate that something is done to a high standard or to a great extent.
Helen is a very ~-known novelist in Australia...
People live longer nowadays, and they are better educated...
British nurses were among the best trained in Europe.
COMB in ADJ
5.
You use ~ to ask or talk about the extent or standard of something.
How ~ do you remember your mother, Franzi?...
This new career doesn’t pay nearly as ~ as the old one...
He wasn’t dressed any better than me.
ADV: how ADV, as ADV as , ADV compar than
6.
You use ~ in front of a prepositional phrase to emphasize it. For example, if you say that one thing happened ~ before another, you mean that it happened a long time before it.
Franklin did not turn up until ~ after midnight...
There are ~ over a million Muslims in Britain.
ADV: ADV prep emphasis
7.
You use ~ before certain adjectives to emphasize them.
She has a close group of friends who are very ~ aware of what she has suffered...
The show is ~ worth a visit.
ADV: ADV adj emphasis
8.
You use ~ after adverbs such as ‘perfectly’, ‘jolly’, or ‘damn’ in order to emphasize an opinion or the truth of what you are saying.
You know perfectly ~ I can’t be blamed for the failure of that mission...
I’d got myself into this marriage and I jolly ~ had to get myself out of it.
ADV: adv ADV, ADV with v emphasis
9.
You use ~ after verbs such as ‘may’ and ‘could’ when you are saying what you think is likely to happen.
The murderer may ~ come from the estate...
Ours could ~ be the last generation for which moviegoing has a sense of magic.
ADV: modal ADV emphasis
III. PHRASES
Frequency: The word is one of the 700 most common words in English.
Please look at category 7 to see if the expression you are looking for is shown under another headword.
1.
You use as ~ when mentioning something which happens in the same way as something else already mentioned, or which should be considered at the same time as that thing.
It is most often diagnosed in women in their thirties and forties, although I’ve seen it in many younger women, as ~...
‘What do you like about it then?’—‘Erm, the history, the shops–people are quite friendly as ~.’
= too
PHRASE: cl PHR
2.
You use as ~ as when you want to mention another item connected with the subject you are discussing.
It is in his best interests as ~ as yours...
As ~ as a good academic record I look for people who’ve climbed mountains or been captain of a team.
PREP-PHRASE
3.
If you say that something that has happened is just as ~, you mean that it is fortunate that it happened in the way it did.
Judging from everything you’ve said, it was just as ~ she wasn’t there.
PHRASE: V inflects, oft it PHR that
4.
You say it is as ~ to think or do something when you are advising someone to think in a particular way or to take a particular action.
It is as ~ to bear in mind that laughter is a great releaser of tension.
PHRASE: V inflects, PHR inf
5.
If you say that someone would do ~ to do something, you mean that you advise or recommend that they do it.
He would do ~ to remember that, sooner or later, everyone’s luck runs out...
Investors would do ~ to take a look at the Swiss economy.
PHRASE
6.
If you say that something, usually something bad, might as ~ be true or may as ~ be true, you mean that the situation is the same or almost the same as if it were true.
The couple might as ~ have been strangers...
We might just as ~ be in prison for all the quality our lives have at present.
PHRASE: PHR inf
7.
If you say that you might as ~ do something, or that you may as ~ do it, you mean that you will do it although you do not have a strong desire to do it and may even feel slightly unwilling to do it.
If I’ve got to go somewhere I may as ~ go to Birmingham...
Anyway, you’re here; you might as ~ stay...
I’ll come with you if you like. I might as ~.
PHRASE: usu PHR inf
8.
If you say that something is all ~ and good, you are suggesting that it has faults or disadvantages, although it may appear to be correct or reasonable.
It’s all ~ and good for him to say he’s sorry for dropping you, but has he told you why he did it?
PHRASE: usu v-link PHR, oft PHR for n, PHR to-inf
9.
You say ~ and good or all ~ and good to indicate that you would be pleased if something happens but you are aware that it has some disadvantages.
If they arrive before I leave, ~ and good. If not, the responsibility will be mine...
This is all ~ and good, but we have to look at the situation in the long term.
PHRASE: usu PHR with cl, v-link PHR, it v-link PHR to-inf/-ing
10.
If you say that something is ~ and truly finished, gone, or done, you are emphasizing that it is completely finished or gone, or thoroughly done. (mainly BRIT)
The war is ~ and truly over.
PHRASE: PHR group emphasis
11.
all very ~: see all
to know full ~: see full
to mean ~: see mean
pretty ~: see pretty
IV. ADJECTIVE USE
Frequency: The word is one of the 700 most common words in English.
If you are ~, you are healthy and not ill.
I’m not very ~ today, I can’t come in...
I hope you’re ~.
? ill
ADJ: usu v-link ADJ
V. NOUN USES
(~s)
1.
A ~ is a hole in the ground from which a supply of water is extracted.
I had to fetch water from the ~.
N-COUNT
2.
A ~ is an oil ~.
About 650 ~s are on fire.
N-COUNT
VI. VERB USES
(~s, ~ing, ~ed)
1.
If liquids, for example tears, ~, they come to the surface and form a pool.
Tears ~ed in her eyes...
He fell back, blood ~ing from a gash in his thigh.
VERB: V, V from n
•
Well up means the same as ~ .
Tears ~ed up in Anni’s eyes.
PHRASAL VERB: V P
2.
If an emotion ~s in you, it suddenly becomes stronger, to the point where you have to express it.
Gratitude ~ed in Chryssa...
Her love for him ~ed stronger than ever.
VERB: V in/inside n, V
•
Well up means the same as ~ .
He could feel the anger ~ing up inside him...
Hope ~ed up.
= rise up
PHRASAL VERB: V P in/inside n, V P