Good At, Not Good In: Fix This Common English Error

A very common sentence among English learners is: “I am good in writing.” The meaning is clear, but the grammar is not correct. In English, the natural pattern is good at + activity.

So we say:

• ❌ I am good in writing.
• ✅ I am good at writing.

This type of grammar is called a dependent preposition. It means some adjectives, verbs, and nouns naturally go with specific prepositions.

The Basic Pattern

Use good at when you talk about a skill or activity.

• good at speaking
• good at writing
• good at solving problems
• good at explaining ideas
• good at using new vocabulary

You can also use the opposite form:

• I am not good at pronunciation.
• He is not very good at grammar.
• Many students are good at reading but weak in speaking.

Why “Good In” Feels Tempting

Many learners translate from Bangla or think of school subjects, so good in may sound logical. But English does not always follow word-by-word translation. It often uses fixed chunks.

Instead of asking, “Which preposition means the same thing in Bangla?” ask, “Which words usually go together in English?”

That question will help you sound more natural.

Use It in Real Sentences

Here are some sentence patterns you can use in speaking:

• I am good at reading, but I need to improve my speaking.
• I used to be bad at grammar, but now I practise every day.
• I am better at understanding English than speaking it.
• I want to become good at writing essays.

These sentences are useful for IELTS Speaking Part 1 when you talk about studies, skills, hobbies, or personal improvement.

Practise the Pattern

Make five sentences about yourself using good at or not good at. For example:

• I am good at remembering new words.
• I am not good at speaking without hesitation.

Then say them aloud. Grammar becomes stronger when you use it in speech, not only when you read rules.

For extra speaking practice, try the IELTS Speaking Question Generator. Pick a random question and answer using at least one good at sentence.

Final Advice

Do not learn prepositions one by one without context. Learn them as chunks: good at, interested in, depend on, listen to. These chunks help you speak faster and make fewer mistakes.

If you want detailed feedback on your IELTS Speaking grammar and fluency, you can try a Paid Speaking Mock Evaluation.