When bad means good

ESL
Let’s get started
with a warm-up

ESL Brains
Complete the gaps with the correct prepositions. You should use the same
preposition in each pair of expressions.

A. a sports activity you’re bad ______

a household chore you’re good ______ doing

B. a habit that is bad ______ our health

a reason why competition is good ______ business

C. a decision you’ve made recently that you feel good ______

a thing you feel bad ______ not doing in the past

D. a person you know who is good ______ children

a person who is bad ______ money

E. a person who’s always been good ______ you

a reason why some people are bad ______ others

ESL 3
Let’s check the answers.

at
A. a sports activity you’re bad ______
at doing
a household chore you’re good ______
for our health
B. a habit that is bad ______
for business
a reason why competition is good ______
about
C. a decision you’ve made recently that you feel good ______
about not doing in the past
a thing you feel bad ______
with children
D. a person you know who is good ______
with money
a person who is bad ______
to you
E. a person who’s always been good ______
to others
a reason why some people are bad ______

ESL 4
Choose one situation from each pair and talk about it.

● a sports activity you’re bad at

a household chore you’re good at doing
● a habit that is bad for our health
a reason why competition is good for business
● a decision you’ve made recently that you feel good about
a thing you feel bad about not doing in the past
● a person you know who is good with children
a person who is bad with money
● a person who’s always been good to you
a reason why some people are bad to others

ESL 5
How much do you know about
the words good and bad?

ESL Brains
Read the sentences and answer the questions below.

A. She’s been waiting for a good half hour to finally be seated in her favourite restaurant.
B. They’re very negative and only see the bad in everything.
C. Even small donations can do a lot of good.
D. Man! Your new motorcycle is so bad!
E. They’ve just lost their jobs, so they need money real bad*.

1. In which sentence does bad mean good?

2. In which sentence is bad used as an adverb?
3. In which sentences are good and bad used as nouns?
4. In which sentence does bad mean very much?
5. In which sentence does good mean more than?
* Note that this is AmE and informal use of bad as an adverb
ESL 7
Let’s check the answers.

A. She’s been waiting for a good half hour to finally be seated in her favourite restaurant.
B. They’re very negative and only see the bad in everything.
C. Even small donations can do a lot of good.
D. Man! Your new motorcycle is so bad!
E. They’ve just lost their jobs, so they need money real bad*.
D
1. In which sentence does bad mean good?
E
2. In which sentence is bad used as an adverb?
B C
3. In which sentences are good and bad used as nouns?
E
4. In which sentence does bad mean very much?
A
5. In which sentence does good mean more than?
* Note that this is AmE and informal use of bad as an adverb
ESL 8
Let’s talk!

ESL Brains
Discuss the questions.

● Would you ever wait a good half hour or more to be seated in a

restaurant? Why (not)?
● Do you think that our brains are wired to only see the bad in
everything? Why (not)?
● What does more good: donating money or volunteering?
● What is one thing you need real bad right now?

ESL 10
Let’s learn more expressions
with good and bad !

ESL Brains
part 1/2

Read the dialogues and complete them with good or bad.

EXAMPL
a: Would you like something else to drink?
E
b: No, I’m good. Thanks.

A. a: Oh great, we won’t see the concert. It’s sold out!

b: My ______ , I thought tickets would be available just before the concert.

B. a: How’s your new business?

b: So far so ______ , but we have to wait a bit longer to see how it goes in
the long run.

C. a: I didn’t get the job.

b: Oh, that’s too ______ . Do you have any other interviews?

D. a: Have you seen Kate dancing? Not ______ , eh?

b: Yeah, she’s great! She’ll definitely win the competition!

ESL 12
part 2/2

Read the dialogues and complete them with good or bad.

E. a: Honey, I bought a Ferrari!

b: You did what? Ha, ha, that’s a ______ one! I almost believed you!

F. a: I can’t come. I’m ill!

b: Oh, ______ luck. I’m sure you can come next time!

G. a: Do you have all your stuff?

b: Almost. Just give me a couple of minutes and I'll be ______ to go.

H. a: Guess what, mum? I got promoted!

b: Oh, sweetie, ______ for you!

I. a: I failed the test.

b: Too ______ . You should have studied more.

ESL 13
part 1/2

Let’s check the answers.

A. a: Oh great, we won’t see the concert. It’s sold out!

b: bad , I thought tickets would be available just before the concert.
My ______

B. a: How’s your new business?

b: good , but we have to wait a bit longer to see how it goes in
So far so ______
the long run.

C. a: I didn’t get the job.

b: bad . Do you have any other interviews?
Oh, that’s too ______

D. a: Have you seen Kate dancing? Not ______ bad , eh?

b: Yeah, she’s great! She’ll definitely win the competition!

ESL 14
part 2/2

Let’s check the answers.

E. a: Honey, I bought a Ferrari!

b: good one! I almost believed you!
You did what? Ha, ha, that’s a ______

F. a: I can’t come. I’m ill!

b: bad luck. I’m sure you can come next time!
Oh, ______

G. a: Do you have all your stuff?

b: good to go.
Almost. Just give me a couple of minutes and I'll be ______

H. a: Guess what, mum? I got promoted!

b: good for you!
Oh, sweetie, ______

I. a: I failed the test.

b: bad . You should have studied more.
Too ______

ESL 15
part 1/2

Try to explain the meaning of the underlined phrases.

A. a: Oh great, we won’t see the concert. It’s sold out!

b: My bad. I thought tickets would be available just before the concert.

B. a: How’s your new business?

b: So far so good, but we have to wait a bit longer to see how it goes in
the long run.

C. a: I didn’t get the job.

b: Oh, that’s too bad. Do you have any other interviews?

D. a: Have you seen Kate dancing? Not bad, eh?

b: Yeah, she’s great! She’ll definitely win the competition!

ESL 16
part 2/2

Try to explain the meaning of the underlined phrases.

E. a: Honey, I bought a Ferrari!

b: You did what? Ha, ha, that’s a good one! I almost believed you!

F. a: I can’t come. I’m ill!

b: Oh, bad luck. I’m sure you can come next time!

G. a: Do you have all your stuff?

b: Almost. Just give me a couple of minutes and I'll be good to go.

H. a: Guess what, mum? I got promoted!

b: Oh, sweetie, good for you!

I. a: I failed the test.

b: Too bad. You should have studied more.

ESL 17
Now, we’ll put it into practice!

ESL Brains
Use the phrases below to write two more dialogues.

● my bad
● so far so good
● (that’s) too bad
● not bad
● that’s a good one
● bad luck
● be good to go
● good for you

ESL 19
Let’s play a game!

ESL Brains
Click a box below and think what you would say when faced with the situation.
Use the expressions with good and bad from this lesson.

1 2 3 4 5

6 7 8 9 10

11 12 13 14 15

ESL 21
THANKS!

ESL Brains