1.表示“能力”、“能夠”,多為不可數(shù)名詞；表示“才能”、“才干”,多用復數(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致的無能.如：
Physical disability causes mental anguish.生理傷殘會引起心理苦悶.