felt really badly

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "felt really badly" is not correct in standard written English.
The correct expression is "felt really bad," which is used to convey a sense of guilt or sorrow about a situation. Example: "After hearing about the accident, I felt really bad for not being there to help."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

I felt really badly about that.

Wikipedia

"I felt really badly, because what could I have bought my daughters with $1?" he said.

Los Angeles Times

We felt really badly after the meeting, this shouldn't happen in these kinds of meetings" (mother of an extremely premature twins describing communication with doctors).

BMC Pediatrics

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

She was visibly shaken, and although we didn't share much conversation, she said: "I feel really badly about this.

The New York Times

"I feel really badly," said Mark Johnson, one of the executive producers of the series.

The New York Times - Arts

I've had children in the past who have not brought a gift that do feel really badly.

The New York Times

I feel really badly that she didn't feel like the process worked".

Vice

But that's different from putting statues like this in places of reverence as though we feel really badly that the Confederacy lost".

Vice

Being mistreated by others can make you feel really badly about yourself, and if it gets to your head you should consider seeing a counselor or therapist.

WikiHow

"It just felt really chaotic and badly organised.

BBC

"It hurt quite a lot, I was badly winded by the time I landed and my ribs were sore and I felt really sick.

BBC

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Always use "bad" instead of "badly" after the verb "feel" when describing an emotional state. "Bad" functions as an adjective describing the subject's feeling, while "badly" is an adverb describing how an action is performed.

Common error

Avoid using "badly" after linking verbs like "feel", "look", "smell", or "taste" when describing a state of being. Remember that adverbs modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs, not subjects. Use adjectives to describe the subject's state.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "felt really badly" functions incorrectly as an attempt to describe an emotional state. The verb "feel" requires an adjective to describe the subject's feeling, not an adverb. As Ludwig AI indicates, the correct form is "felt really bad".

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

53%

Science

29%

Wiki

6%

Less common in

Formal & Business

6%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "felt really badly" is grammatically incorrect in standard English. The correct phrase is "felt really bad", where "bad" functions as an adjective describing the feeling. While Ludwig AI identifies some instances of the phrase in news and media sources, it's important to recognize that these are likely errors and should be avoided. Use alternative phrases like "felt very sorry" or "felt remorseful" to express similar sentiments with grammatical accuracy. Always prioritize using adjectives to describe feelings after linking verbs.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

felt really bad

Corrects the grammatical error, using the adjective "bad" instead of the adverb "badly".

felt very sorry

Replaces "really badly" with a more standard expression of sympathy or regret.

felt remorseful

Uses a more formal term to express deep regret or guilt.

felt guilty

Focuses on the feeling of guilt associated with the situation.

felt ashamed

Highlights the feeling of shame or embarrassment.

felt awful

Uses a more general term to express a negative feeling about the situation.

felt terrible

Similar to "felt awful", but perhaps slightly stronger in intensity.

felt regretful

Emphasizes the feeling of regret about something that happened.

felt distressed

Indicates a feeling of anxiety, sorrow, or pain.

felt heartbroken

Suggests a feeling of intense sadness or grief, often related to loss or disappointment.

FAQs

What is the correct way to say "felt really badly"?

The correct way to express feeling regret or sorrow is to say "felt really bad". The word "bad" is an adjective that describes the feeling, while "badly" is an adverb.

When should I use 'bad' versus 'badly'?

Use "bad" after linking verbs like "feel", "be", "seem", or "look" to describe a state of being. Use "badly" to modify an action verb, indicating how the action was performed. For example, "I feel bad" versus "I played badly".

What are some alternatives to "felt really bad"?

You can use alternatives like "felt very sorry", "felt remorseful", or "felt guilty" depending on the specific context.

Is "felt badly" ever correct?

The phrase "felt badly" is rarely correct. It could be used to describe someone who has a poor sense of touch, but it's an uncommon usage. In most cases where you want to express regret or sorrow, "felt bad" is the correct choice.