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Justyna Jupowicz-Kozak

CEO of Professional Science Editing for Scientists @ prosciediting.com

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functional well

Grammar usage guide and real-world examples

USAGE SUMMARY

'functional well' is not correct.
The proper phrase is 'functioning well'. You can use this phrase when you want to describe how well something works or operates. For example: "The car is functioning well, so we should be able to make it to our destination without any problems."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

5 human-written examples

As a whole, the interior is rather plain and functional, well assembled from plastic materials of average quality -- though those who judge sports cars based on interior trim are probably not driving enough.

News & Media

The New York Times

You have to think different, really different, to do functional well.

News & Media

Huffington Post

Technically, the HRQoL assessment was functional, well accepted and provided usable HRQoL information.

Patients who had treatment over a longer period of time reported decreased functional well being and total FACT-G scores.

Thus, the final English questionnaire consisted of 34 items and five subscales: oral health, functional well being, social/emotional well-being, school environment and self-image [ 17, 18].

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

The effects of yoga on physical function and functional well-being were small.

Science

BMC Cancer

Further, although effect sizes for many psychosocial outcomes were generally moderate to large, effect sizes of yoga interventions on physical function and functional well-being were small.

Science

BMC Cancer

The functional well-being of the FACT-G was highly correlated with the role functioning (r = 0.61) and the physical functioning (r = 0.58) of the QLQ-C30.

I know that there are plenty of incredibly functional, well-adjusted, spiritual families raising kids in suburbia.

Danes are rightly proud of their rich design heritage, in all its functional, well-crafted, minimalist glory, but the result is that almost every home looks the same.

News & Media

The Guardian

Of real intellectual substance as against the derivative, backward-looking Art Deco, Bauhaus design was dedicated to producing functional, well-made, affordable items for a broad public through cooperation with manufacturers and the use of practical materials.

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Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing how well something operates, prefer the phrase "functioning well" or other alternatives like "working effectively". For example, say "The new system is functioning well" instead of "The new system is functional well".

Common error

Avoid using "functional" to modify a verb. "Functional" is an adjective. Instead, use an adverb like "effectively" or rephrase using "functioning well".

Antonio Rotolo, PhD - Digital Humanist | Computational Linguist | CEO @Ludwig.guru

Antonio Rotolo, PhD

Digital Humanist | Computational Linguist | CEO @Ludwig.guru

Source & Trust

82%

Authority and reliability

1.8/5

Expert rating

Real-world application tested

Linguistic Context

The phrase "functional well" attempts to combine an adjective ("functional") with an adverb ("well"). However, this construction is grammatically incorrect in standard English. Ludwig AI identifies that the correct phrase is "functioning well".

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

66.66%

News & Media

33.33%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "functional well" is not a grammatically correct phrase in English. As Ludwig AI suggests, the correct phrasing is "functioning well". While some instances of "functional well" appear in various sources, they are considered incorrect. The intended meaning is to describe how something operates effectively, but it's best to use grammatically sound alternatives like "functioning properly" or "working effectively". The phrase's usage is rare and not recommended for formal writing.

FAQs

What is the correct way to say something is working properly?

The correct way is to say something is "functioning well". "Functional" is an adjective, while "functioning" is a verb form that can be modified by the adverb "well".

Is it ever correct to use "functional" to describe how something works?

Yes, but not directly modifying a verb. You can say something has "functional capabilities" or possesses "functional features", using "functional" as an adjective describing capabilities or features.

What are some alternatives to saying something is "functioning well"?

You can use alternatives such as "working effectively", "operating efficiently", or "performing adequately" depending on the context.

What's the difference between saying something is "functional" versus "functioning well"?

"Functional" describes the inherent capability or design of something, while "functioning well" describes how effectively it is currently operating. A device can be functional (designed to work) but not necessarily "functioning well" (actually working effectively).

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Source & Trust

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Authority and reliability

1.8/5

Expert rating

Real-world application tested

Most frequent sentences: