1. 表示“能力”、“能夠”,多為不可數(shù)名詞;表示“才能”、“才干”,多用復(fù)數(shù)形式。如:
He is a man of ability. 他是位有能力的人。
He is a man of many abilities. 他是位多才多藝的人。
2. 表示有能力做某事或具有做某事的能力等,其后通常要接不定式。如:
He has the ability to speak English fluently. 他能流利地說英語。
The ability to be clearly heard is extremely important for newsreaders. 聲音宏亮清晰對新聞廣播員來說極為重要。
但在現(xiàn)代英語中,也可后接 of doing sth(不如接不定式普遍,建議初學(xué)者謹用)。如:
I admire his ability of doing the work quickly. 我羨慕他工作做得快。
3. ability的反義詞是inability,不是disability——inability表示沒有能力或沒有才能,而disability則指因先天缺陷或受傷變殘而導(dǎo)致的無能。如:
Physical disability causes mental anguish. 生理傷殘會引起心理苦悶。
His inability to speak French puts him at a disadvantage. 他不會說法語,這使他很吃虧。