How to Use Good At Correctly in English Grammar

“Good at” is a common English phrase used to describe skills and strengths. In this guide, you’ll learn what it means, how to use it correctly in grammar and speaking, and how to avoid common mistakes. Perfect for ESL learners and English exam preparation.

I. What Does “Good At” Mean in English?

The phrase “good at” is a common English expression used to describe someone’s skill, ability, or proficiency in a particular activity or subject. It is typically used with nouns or verb-ing forms (gerunds) to indicate what someone does well.

Basic Grammar Structure: Subject + be (am/is/are/was/were) + good at + noun/gerund

Examples:

• She is good at drawing.
• They are good at teamwork.
• I was good at solving problems in school

Sample Variations:

• Negative form: He isn’t good at remembering names.
• Question form: Are you good at public speaking?

“Good at” serves several important functions in English:

• Self-introduction: When describing personal strengths or experiences
  Example: “I’m good at working under pressure.”
• Interpersonal feedback: To compliment someone
  Example: “You’re really good at explaining things.”
• Examinations/Speaking Tests (e.g., IELTS, TOEIC):
  Example IELTS Q: “What are you good at?” → “I’m good at organizing ideas and planning ahead.”

Using “good at” correctly helps learners express strengths clearly and naturally, especially when talking about hobbies, jobs, education, or personal abilities—all of which are common topics in English proficiency exams.

II. Common Use Cases for “Good At”

The phrase “good at” is simple in form but highly versatile in function. English learners will encounter and use it across a wide range of everyday and formal situations. Understanding key use cases helps you speak and write with more fluency, especially when describing skills, strengths, or interests—essential in exams, interviews, and conversations.

1. Daily Conversations and Self-Descriptions

In day-to-day English conversations, the phrase “good at” is frequently used to talk about what someone can do well. It’s a natural, friendly way to describe skills, hobbies, or interests, and is often used when introducing oneself, making small talk, or complimenting others.

This usage typically appears in informal and personal settings—such as chats with friends, classmates, language partners, or coworkers.

Common Situations Where "Good At" Is Used:

• Talking about talent or passion
  “I’m good at painting.”
  “He’s good at working with kids.”
• Responding to personal questions
  “What do you enjoy?” → “I’m good at writing short stories.”
• Introducing yourself in interviews or presentations
  "I’m an organized person, and I’m good at managing my time."
• Casual compliments or comments
  "Wow, you're really good at cooking!"
  “She’s always been good at solving problems quickly.”

Grammar Tips:

• Use a gerund (verb-ing) or a noun after "good at":
  She’s good at dancing.
  He’s good at math.
• You can add adverbs to modify:
  She’s really good at telling funny stories.
  I’m not very good at public speaking.

In exams like IELTS Speaking Part 1, you are often asked to describe your experiences, preferences, or abilities. Knowing how to use “good at” fluently allows you to sound natural, confident, and lexically varied.

2. Common Topics Where "Good At" Appears

The expression “good at” is relevant across a wide range of common English topics, especially in IELTS Speaking, TOEIC Listening, and everyday workplace or classroom situations. Mastering how to apply it in varied themes allows you to speak naturally and confidently.

Typical topics include:

1. Hobbies & Free Time
   Learners often talk about their hobbies using phrases like: “I’m good at playing the piano,” “She’s good at swimming.”
   These expressions commonly appear in IELTS Speaking Part 1.
2. Academic Skills
   Used for describing school subjects or study abilities: “He’s good at math,” “I’m not very good at memorizing dates.”
   Frequently relevant in IELTS Speaking Part 2 and Writing Task 2.
3. Job & Career
   Highlights professional or workplace-related skills: “She’s good at handling multiple tasks,” “He’s good at solving customer issues.”
   Often found in TOEIC Listening and in email communications.
4. Soft Skills
   Includes interpersonal and communication abilities: “I’m good at working in a team,” “She’s good at presenting ideas clearly.”
   Very useful in academic discussions and job interviews.
5. Technology & Tools
   Emphasizes technical or software proficiency: “I’m good at using Excel,” “He’s good at programming in Python.”
   Common in TOEIC as well as English assessments for technical fields.
6. Languages & Communication
   Used when discussing language learning or expressing oneself clearly: “They’re good at speaking French,” “I’m not good at expressing myself in English.”
   Frequently asked about in IELTS Speaking and Writing.
7. Problem Solving
   A higher-level topic focused on reasoning and analysis—highly valued in exams: “She’s good at analyzing complex problems quickly.”
   Ideal for responses in IELTS Speaking Part 3 or Task 2 essays.

Understanding these common topics allows you to naturally incorporate “good at” into your responses, helping you score higher in terms of fluency, lexical resource, and grammatical range in English proficiency exams.

III. Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Although “good at” is a simple and common structure in English, it’s also one that learners frequently misuse. These errors can reduce clarity, lower exam scores, and make your English sound less natural in both casual and academic contexts.

Using the Wrong Preposition

• Incorrect: She’s good in drawing.
• Correct: She’s good at drawing.

Explanation: The correct preposition that follows “good” when referring to skills or abilities is “at”, not “in” or “with.” While “good with” may be correct in certain contexts (e.g. “good with people”), it does not replace “good at” for general skills or actions.

Forgetting to Use the Gerund (-ing) Form

• Incorrect: He is good at play football.
• Correct: He is good at playing football.

Explanation: When using a verb after “good at,” you must use the gerund form (verb + -ing). This is because "good at" functions as a prepositional phrase, and verbs that follow prepositions in English must take the -ing form.

Mixing Up Noun and Verb Forms

• Incorrect: I’m good at to cook.
• Correct: I’m good at cooking.

Explanation: “To + verb” (infinitive form) is not used after “good at.” You should use either a noun (“I’m good at math”) or gerund (“I’m good at reading”).

Overusing “Good At” in Writing or Speaking

Issue: Repeating “good at” too many times in a short answer can make your response sound repetitive and basic.

• Example (Too repetitive): I’m good at English. My sister is good at science. My friend is good at art.
• Better: I’m confident in English, my sister excels in science, and my friend has a real talent for art.

Tip: Use synonyms or rephrase to vary your expressions (e.g. strong at, skilled in, confident with, capable of).

Overgeneralizing Without Specifics

• Weak: I’m good at everything.
• Stronger: I’m good at organizing tasks and meeting deadlines.

Explanation: Vague answers like “everything” or “many things” lack substance in writing and speaking tasks. Providing specific skills adds clarity and relevance—especially in test settings.

IV. Synonyms and Alternatives to “Good At”

While “good at” is a widely used and practical phrase in English, overusing it can make your language repetitive or too basic—especially in formal writing or exam situations. Knowing how to paraphrase or substitute “good at” with more advanced or context-appropriate expressions adds depth and variety to your English.

Formal and Academic Alternatives

These expressions are ideal for:

• Writing Task 2 in IELTS
• TOEIC business emails or reports
• Job applications and academic contexts

Informal and Conversational Alternatives

These are great for IELTS Speaking, daily conversation, or casual writing:

Choosing the Right Alternative Based on Context

Use this quick guide to select synonyms appropriately:

• Formal writing / resumes → proficient in, skilled at, adept at
• Academic essays → capable of, experienced in
• Speaking tests / conversations → good at, great at, pretty good at

Tip: You can mix and match to avoid repeating the exact phrase "good at" multiple times in a paragraph or answer. This boosts your lexical resource score, a crucial grading criterion in IELTS and TOEIC.

Phrasal Alternatives and Extended Expressions

Sometimes, you can rephrase entire sentences instead of just replacing “good at” directly: “She’s good at solving problems” → “She has a knack for solving problems.”, “She excels at finding solutions quickly.” or “She’s known for her strong problem-solving skills.”

V. Practice Exercises and Sentence Example

In this section, you’ll find a variety of exercises and sentence examples that will help you confidently use “good at” in conversations, writings, and test situations.

Exercise 1: Choose the correct answer

1. Are you good at _______ soccer?
    A. play  B. playing  C. played

2. Don’t worry. I am good at _______ meals.
    A. Cooking  B. Cook  C. To cook

3. I know I am _______ solving crossword puzzles.
    A. good at  B. good in  C. good

4. Many students in this school are good at _______ Spanish.
    A. speak  B. speaks  C. speaking

5. I am _______ learning new languages.
    A. good at  B. good in  C. good

6. Sarah is good at _______ songs.
    A. sing  B. singing  C. sings

7. They are _______ mathematics.
    A. good at  B. good in  C. good

8. Tom is good at _______ the guitar.
    A. playing  B. play  C. plays

9. Jane is _______ dancing.
    A. good at  B. good in  C. good

10. We are good at _______ stories.
     A. write  B. writing  C. writes

11. He is _______ science.
     A. good at  B. good in  C. good

12. I am good at _______ computers.
     A. using  B. use  C. uses

13. The children are _______ drawing.
     A. good at  B. good in  C. good

14. She is good at _______ puzzles.
     A. solve  B. solving  C. solves

15. Mark is good at _______ problems quickly.
     A. solve  B. solving  C. solves

Exercise 2: Conjugate the appropriate verbs in brackets

1. It is good for me (do) exercise every morning.
2. Mai is good at (clean) the house.
3. It is good (attend) the meeting in time.
4. Nam is good at (play) football.
5. My grandmother is good at (knit).
6. It is good for us (finish) our homework before dinner.
7. John is good at (swim).
8. It is good for my mother (take) a break every now and then.
9. Mary is good at (bake) cakes.
10. It is good for you (learn) another language.
11. Peter is good at (solve) math problems.
12. It is good for us (sleep) at least 7 hours a night.
13. Anna is good at (paint) landscapes.
14. It is good for me (practice) speaking English daily.
15. My brother is good at (play) the piano.

Answer

VI. Master IELTS Skills for a High Band Score

PPEP hopes that through the article below, Preppies now have a clearer grasp of how to employ the phrase Good at and determine whether it's followed by “V-ing” or “to verb”. If you want everything in one place, PREP is your ultimate course for IELTS success.

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