do badly

You usually follow this phrase with the preposition in or at. For example, you do badly in an exam or do badly at sports. Remember that do is an irregular verb. You will use did for the past tense. Use doing for things happening right now. You can also add words like very or really to show just how much you failed.

Use this when talking about school, work, or hobbies. It is perfect for a coffee chat with a friend. You might say, "I did badly on my presentation today." It is also great for self-reflection. It sounds honest and direct. Use it when the results are clear, like a score or a specific outcome.

Avoid using this for people's health or behavior. You wouldn't say a sick person is doing badly in the same way; that sounds a bit cold. Also, don't use it for moral choices. If someone is being mean, they aren't doing badly. They are behaving badly. There is a subtle difference! Also, in a very high-stakes business meeting, you might want a more professional word like underperform.

English speakers often use do badly as a form of "understatement." Sometimes, a student who got a B- might say they did badly. This is because people often have high expectations for themselves. In some cultures, admitting failure is hard. In English-speaking cultures, saying you did badly can actually make you seem more relatable and humble. It shows you aren't afraid to admit you're human.

You will often hear do poorly as a slightly more formal version. If things are really a disaster, people might say they did terribly or did awfully. If you want to be very casual, you might say you messed up or blew it. But do badly remains the most reliable, middle-ground phrase for everyday life.