Good with means you get on well with people or handle things skilfully: good with children, good with money, good with tools. It praises a practical skill, not knowledge of a subject.
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be good with + people/children/animals; good with + money/numbers/computers; good with your hands
- Our new manager is good with people, so meetings feel calm and friendly.
- I'm not very good with money, so I use an app to track my spending.
- My dad is good with his hands and fixed our kitchen door in ten minutes.
What changed
First versionMy brother is very good in computers, so everyone asks him for help.
RevisionMy brother is very good with computers, so everyone asks him for help.
In can seem logical if you think of computers as a field of knowledge. But for people and things someone knows how to handle, English uses with: good with computers.
Good at is for an activity or a subject: She's good at maths, good at drawing. Good with is for people and things you deal with: good with numbers, good with animals. It's also how you praise someone who's practical: He's good with his hands.
Your turn
My sister works in a children's hospital and is really good ___ kids.
Show the answer
with — The sentence is about children, and getting on with people needs with. At goes before an activity or a subject: good at drawing, good at maths.
Describe someone you know who has a useful practical skill. Name the person and say what they're good with.
My neighbour Oleg is good with cars, so I always ask him when mine makes a strange noise.
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