Keyword: good
Grammatical Overview
Good is one of the most highly frequent and versatile adjectives in the English language, functioning primarily to denote positive quality, moral excellence, or benefit. Grammatically, it drives several key collocations and prepositional patterns, most notably dictating the use of specific prepositions depending on the semantic frame (e.g., good at for skills, good for for health/benefit). It frequently pairs with copular verbs like be, seem, look, and smell, and it acts as the anchor for numerous high-frequency idiomatic chunks. Because of its broad utility, mastering the structural patterns and colligations surrounding good is essential for moving from basic communication to natural fluency.
🗺️ Pattern Map (Colligation & Grammar)
Pattern 1: be good at + V-ing / Noun (Skill & Ability)
- Structure:
Subject + be + good at + Noun / Gerund (V-ing) - Meaning: Indicates proficiency, skill, or talent in a particular activity or subject.
- Examples:
- She is very good at explaining complex grammar rules.
- He has never been good at mathematics.
Pattern 2: be good for + Noun (Benefit & Health)
- Structure:
Subject + be + good for + Noun / Pronoun - Meaning: Indicates that something is beneficial, healthy, or useful for someone or something.
- Examples:
- Drinking plenty of water is good for your health.
- This particular soil is not good for growing tomatoes.
Pattern 3: it is good of someone (to do something) (Appreciation & Behavior)
- Structure:
It + be + good + of + Object Pronoun/Noun + to-infinitive - Meaning: Used to express gratitude or praise for someone's kind or generous behavior.
- Examples:
- It was very good of you to help me with my luggage.
- It is good of them to offer us a place to stay.
🧩 Key Lexical Chunks (Collocations & Idioms)
Spoken & Written Formulaic Units
- for good: Permanently; forever.
- as good as: Practically; very nearly.
- so far, so good: Progress has been satisfactory up to this point.
🎴 Interactive Web Practice (10 Questions)
Practice 1: She is exceptionally ______ at playing the piano.
Answer:
good
Practice 2: Eating plenty of dark, leafy vegetables is ______ for your health.
Answer:
good
Practice 3: It was very ______ of you to help me move all those heavy boxes.
Answer:
good
Practice 4: After the second bankruptcy, they decided to close the store for ______.
Answer:
good
Practice 5: With the final details agreed upon, the contract is as ______ as signed.
Answer:
good
Practice 6: "How is the new software installation going?" "So far, so ______."
Answer:
good
Practice 7: He isn't very ______ at keeping secrets from his friends.
Answer:
good
Practice 8: This humid weather is not ______ for the antique furniture.
Answer:
good
Practice 9: It is ______ of him to share his lunch with the new student.
Answer:
good
Practice 10: Once the screen is replaced, your phone will be as ______ as new.
Answer:
good
🔗 Related Patterns & Chunks
- 🗺️ Pattern: be-good-at-v-ing — Proficiency or skill in an activity.
- 🗺️ Pattern: be-good-for-noun — Beneficial for health or utility.
- 🗺️ Pattern: it-is-good-of-someone — Praise for kind behavior.
- 🧩 Chunk: for-good — Permanently.
- 🧩 Chunk: as-good-as — Practically or nearly.
- 🧩 Chunk: so-far-so-good — Satisfactory progress so far.