knew good

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "knew good" is not correct in standard written English.
It may be an attempt to express knowledge of something positive or beneficial, but it lacks proper grammatical structure. Example: "He knew good things were coming his way."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

23 human-written examples

And if they did not, they knew good talent scouts.

The New York Times - Sports

They also knew good from bad, right from wrong.

The Economist

"Then I knew good things could happen," Humber said.

The New York Times - Sports

She knew good taste before I knew what good taste was.

The New York Times

She was running a school attached to Maxim's and knew good food.

The New York Times

After spending seven months in Afghanistan, I now knew good things were happening, but they just weren't being shown.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

36 human-written examples

Those who know — good.

The New Yorker

Ghosts know good people".

The New York Times

"He knows good stories.

The New York Times

I know — good luck with that.

The New York Times - Books

We all know good nursing.

The Guardian - Opinion

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When aiming for clarity, replace "knew good" with more precise alternatives such as "recognized quality", "appreciated the value", or "understood the benefit" to accurately convey your intended meaning.

Common error

Avoid using "knew good" when you mean "knew well". "Knew well" implies a deep understanding or familiarity, while "knew good" is often grammatically incorrect and can be misinterpreted.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "knew good" functions as a verb phrase where "knew" is the past tense of "know" and "good" acts as an adjective modifying an implied noun. It expresses a past state of understanding or awareness of something positive. Ludwig AI indicates it's not correct in standard written English.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

71%

Science

10%

Formal & Business

5%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "knew good" appears in numerous contexts, particularly in news and media, it's generally considered grammatically incorrect. As pointed out by Ludwig AI, it's not standard written English. More precise alternatives, such as "recognized quality" or "understood the benefit", are recommended for clarity and grammatical accuracy. The phrase aims to express past understanding or awareness of positive qualities or things. While commonly used, especially in certain contexts, it's advisable to use clearer and more grammatically sound alternatives to avoid misinterpretation.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

recognized quality

Emphasizes identifying high standards or desirable attributes.

appreciated the value

Highlights understanding and valuing something positive.

understood the benefit

Focuses on comprehending the advantages or positive outcomes.

discerned excellence

Implies a keen ability to distinguish superior quality.

identified merit

Stresses the recognition of worth or deservingness.

saw the potential

Highlights recognizing future positive possibilities.

was aware of the upside

Focuses on being conscious of the positive aspects.

understood the positives

Focuses on understanding multiple positive aspects.

recognized the upside

Highlights recognizing positive aspects.

was familiar with quality

Implies an awareness or experience with superior grade.

FAQs

What's a grammatically correct alternative to "knew good"?

Instead of "knew good", you can use phrases like "recognized quality", "appreciated the value", or "understood the benefit" to maintain grammatical accuracy.

How can I use "knew good" in a sentence correctly?

While "knew good" is generally considered incorrect, you might rephrase the sentence to use more appropriate alternatives. For example, instead of "He knew good music", you could say "He recognized quality music".

Is it ever acceptable to use the phrase "knew good" in formal writing?

In formal writing, it's best to avoid "knew good". Opt for more precise and grammatically correct alternatives such as "discerned excellence" or "identified merit" to ensure clarity and professionalism.

What's the difference between "knew good" and "knew well"?

"Knew well" implies a deep understanding or familiarity with something, like "He knew the subject well". "Knew good", however, is not a standard grammatical construction and should be replaced with phrases like "understood the positives" or "was aware of the upside" for clarity.