Certain sets of words in the English language tend to confuse people. I have found the following to be among them:
BAD / BADLY
The word bad is an adjective while badly is an adverb. The confusion often comes when you talk about how you feel. The verb to feel is intransitive like the verb to be. Would you say, “I am beautiful” (or handsome) or “I am beautifully” (or handsomely)? Just as beautiful is an adjective describing something or someone, so is bad. Therefore, you would say “I feel bad” if you are trying to say that you are sick or sad or sorry. To say “I feel badly” would mean that your sense of touch is out of whack.
INCORRECT: I sang bad at choir practice today; I just couldn’t hit those high notes.
CORRECT: I sang badly at choir practice today; I just couldn’t hit those high notes.
INCORRECT: I feel badly that I didn’t offer to help my uncle move.
CORRECT: I feel bad that I didn’t offer to help my uncle move.
ALSO CORRECT: I feel bad this morning; I think I may have a fever.
NOTE: The same holds true for smell bad or badly. If you just finished playing a game of soccer (even if you played badly) and haven’t had time to shower yet, you may smell bad. If, on the other hand, your nose is stuffed up, you may smell badly.
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