ability
part of speech
noun (an ability, abilities)
meaning for a pupil
1) Ability is the power or skill to do something. tree →
2) An ability is a special talent, something a person is good at. tree →
3) Ability can also mean how well someone can do something, as in «reading ability». tree →
sense in the lessons
In school it is used for what pupils can do and how well: «ability to read», «to the best of your ability» (as well as you can). In science it describes what animals and plants can do: the ability to fly, see in the dark or change colour. In everyday life and stories it describes talents and powers, including superheroes' powers. «Disability» is the word for a condition that makes some things harder to do.
examples
- Bats have the ability to find their way in the dark. tree →
- She has a great ability to make people laugh. tree →
- Do the test to the best of your ability. tree →
- The ability to swim can save your life. tree →
- Each superhero has a different special ability. tree →
- Practice will improve your reading ability. tree →
- Chameleons have the ability to change colour. tree →
- Grateful for these favours, the animals determined to repay him to the best of their ability. tree →
note
Countable noun: an ability, many abilities. Followed by «to + verb»: «the ability to swim» (not «ability of swimming»). Opposite: inability. Adjective: able. Do not confuse with «capacity» (how much something can hold).
Trees and pragmatics
Every meaning and example of «ability» parsed by Mova, each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.