Ability əˈbɪləti I Program Students Level High Noun

• people with the disease may lose their ability to communicate.
• this program has the ability to adapt to its user.
• students must demonstrate the ability to understand simple texts.
• she has an uncanny ability to predict what consumers will want.

ability

Word Family

• able adjective (≠ unable)
• ably adverb
• ability noun (≠ inability)
• disabled adjective
• disability noun
1. the fact that somebody/something is able to do something
• OPPOSITE inability
  https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/inability
• People with the disease may lose their ability to communicate.
• This program has the ability to adapt to its user.
• Students must demonstrate the ability to understand simple texts.
• She has an uncanny ability to predict what consumers will want.
• A gentle form of exercise will increase your ability to relax.

Extra Examples

• I seem to have lost my ability to attract clients.
• He has this innate ability to see beyond the range of most people.
• The system has the ability to run more than one program at the same time.
• Everyone has the right to good medical care regardless of their ability to pay.
2. a level of skill or intelligence
• SEE ALSO mixed-ability
  https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/mixed-ability
• Their athletic ability is stunning.
• cognitive/intellectual/mental ability
• A woman of her ability will easily find a job.
• Are you used to teaching students of mixed abilities?
• It's important to discover the natural abilities of each child.
• I try to do my job to the best of my ability (= as well as I can).

Extra Examples

• Fox's abilities were soon recognized.
• He was a man of extraordinary abilities.
• I taught a wide range of abilities.
• It is much more difficult to teach a mixed-ability class.
• She showed a high level of ability as a runner.
• She showed great ability in mathematics.
• The school does nothing for children of high ability.
• There was a high level of ability among the school leavers.
• We will keep you informed to the best of our ability.
• Almost everyone has some musical ability.

Word Origin

• late Middle English: from Old French ablete, from Latin habilitas, from habilis ‘able’.