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Justyna Jupowicz-Kozak

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very much well

Grammar usage guide and real-world examples

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "very much well" is not correct and is not typically used in written English.
It is generally considered redundant and awkward, as "very much" and "well" do not naturally combine in this way. Example: "I am feeling very much well today" would be better expressed as "I am feeling well today."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

That's because even though the State of New Jersey cares about you very much, well, to tell you the truth it's a bit short these days.

News & Media

The New York Times

Curious about how prisoners conducted themselves just before they were to be freed, he speculated to his guide that "they trembled very much": "Well, it's not so much a trembling," was the answer — "though they do quiver — as a complete derangement of the nervous sytem.

News & Media

The New Yorker

In Grid, menus fly by and spin in circles, you can see people walking about your garage while selecting a new paint scheme, your earned credits fill up in dramatic fashion, slowing down as you approach an upgrade point… It just seems more "next-gen," more "hmm, now this is different" than FM3, which is very much "well, this isn't anything special".

News & Media

TechCrunch

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

And I think that's because the screening questions are just perhaps fired at people and they go, "Well fine, thanks very muchwell, that's okay then".

"The team would join in very much as well.

News & Media

Independent

LD: I like his work very much as well, but you must recognise that there is a little more talk in Rohmer's work than in ours.

"Our party is very much alive, well and united at the county and local level," Acting Gov. Donald T. DiFrancesco said at a news conference in the State House today.

News & Media

The New York Times

"The bulk of my nominees, twenty years ago or even ten years ago, would have been considered very much centrists, well within the mainstream of American jurisprudence, not particularly fire-breathing or ideologically driven," Obama said.

News & Media

The New Yorker

RENAZZO DI CENTO, Italy — To the untrained eye, the clusters of synthetic body parts scattered on the floor of a vast warehouse in Italy's heartland looked very much like — well, like clusters of synthetic body parts.

News & Media

The New York Times

And my sister, she's very much like: "Well, the school knows best.

As a consequence, they end up creating a document that looks very much like, well,... a CV.

Science & Research

Science Magazine
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Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Replace "very much well" with the grammatically correct and more common phrase "very well" to indicate a high degree of skill or satisfaction. For instance, instead of saying "He plays the piano very much well", say "He plays the piano "very well"".

Common error

Avoid using "very much" to modify "well" in contexts describing abilities or conditions. "Very much" typically modifies verbs, while "well" functions as an adverb itself. Using "very much well" is redundant and sounds awkward; instead, opt for "very well" or another suitable alternative.

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

Antonio Rotolo, PhD

Digital Humanist | Computational Linguist | CEO @Ludwig.guru

Source & Trust

88%

Authority and reliability

1.8/5

Expert rating

Real-world application tested

Linguistic Context

The phrase "very much well" attempts to function as an adverbial modifier, aiming to describe the manner in which an action is performed or a state is experienced. However, as noted by Ludwig, it is grammatically incorrect and not standard English.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Science

40%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "very much well" is grammatically incorrect and not standard English, as confirmed by Ludwig. While it appears in some sources, predominantly News & Media, it is best avoided in favor of grammatically correct alternatives like "very well", "extremely well", or other similar phrases. The intended purpose is to express a high degree of skill or satisfaction, but its incorrect usage undermines this. Therefore, always opt for grammatically sound alternatives to ensure clarity and correctness in writing.

FAQs

Is it correct to say "very much well"?

No, the phrase "very much well" is grammatically incorrect. A more appropriate alternative is "very well", which is commonly used to describe something done skillfully or successfully.

What does "very well" mean, and how is it different from "very much well"?

"Very well" means skillfully or successfully, while "very much well" is not a standard English phrase. Using "very well" is grammatically correct and widely understood.

When can I use "very well" in a sentence?

You can use "very well" to describe an action performed with skill or to indicate that something is satisfactory. For example, "She sings "very well"" or "The plan worked "very well"".

Are there other phrases similar to "very well" that I can use?

Yes, alternatives to "very well" include "extremely well", "exceptionally well", and "remarkably well". These phrases emphasize the high degree of skill or success.

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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: