Ability

• Examinations are not the only means of assessing someone's ability. There are other ways of measuring potential.

• At first I questioned his abilities, but he has done the job so well. I'm now ashamed that I had so little confidence in him and that I doubted his abilities in the first place.

• It is a well-known fact that even small amounts ofalcohol can affect your ability to drive safely

• She was so shocked by the accident that she lost the ability to speak.

• Although Peter showed a lot of ability as ateenager, he just wasn't good enough to goprofessional.

• I had to give up half way through the race. I had overestimated obviously my ability to run a marathon.

• Tiger Woods may be the best golfer in the world, But the Open Championship next week will be a real test of his ability.

 

• Raymond is very clever, but he doesn’t make full Use of his abilities.

 

• I was surprised when he failed his examinations. His results are certainly not a true reflection of

  His abilities.

 

• He’s extremely competent and will do the job properly. I have every confidence in his ability.

 

• He said that he would try to do the job to the best of his ability.

 

• I believe he lost confidence. His failure was not due to a lack of ability.

 

• Most of us have to work hard to learn to play a musical instrument. However. There are people

  Who are born with a natural ability and who learn effortlessly?

 

• The students in my class are of mixed ability. So I teach them in groups according to their level.

 

• I have no doubts that he has considerable ability, but I don’t think his personality is suited to this kind of work.

 

• We need somebody who has done this before — with the proven ability to do the job.

 

• I’m not a genius and I’m not stupid. I would describe myself as being of average ability.

 

• I don’t know how she does it, but Annie Lennox Has this incredible ability to electrify her audience.

 

Notes

 

l. Here are three ways to describe •great’ ability:

She has a remarkable ability to recoil long poems after only reading them once.

She has exceptional abilities as a musician.

His examination results ore proof of his outstanding ability.

 

2. Remember that an adjective collocation can come before or after the noun:

She has remarkable ability.

Her ability is remarkable.

 

3. Notice the use of ‘best’ in 2-5. ‘Best’ is usually an

Adjective, but it is used as a noun in the expression

To ‘do something to the best of your ability’.

 

4. We can talk about specific abilities:

Musical ability

Linguistic ability

Artistic ability

Physical ability

Technical ability

Acting ability

 

5. When we talk about very intelligent children, we often call them ‘children of above average ability’.