Build up Your Vocabulary to Increase Your IELTS Score-Key Word:Ability

Key Word:Ability

Verb+Ability

1. Use the correct form of these verbs:

1. Examinations are not the only means of______someone’s ability. There are other ways of measuring potential.
2. 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______his abilities in the first place.
3. It is a well-known fact that even small amounts of alcohol can______your ability to drive safely.
4. She was so shocked by the accident that she______the ability to speak.
5. Although Peter______a lot of ability as a teenager, he just wasn’t good enough to go professional.
6. I had to give up half way through the race. I had obviously______my ability to run a marathon.

Go back and underline all the verb collocations with ability.

Noun+Preposition+Ability

2. Use these nouns in the sentences:

1. Tiger Woods may be the best golfer in the world, but the Open Championship next week will be a real______of his ability.
2. Raymond is very clever, but he doesn’t make full______of his abilities.
3. I was surprised when he failed his examinations. His results are certainly not a true______of his abilities.
4. He’s extremely competent and will do the job properly. I have every______in his ability.
5. He said that he would try to do the job to the______of his ability.
6. I believe he lost confidence. His failure was not due to a______of ability.

Go back and underline all the Noun+Preposition+Ability collocations.

 Common Adjective Collocations

3. Use these adjectives in the sentences:

1. Most of us have to work hard to learn to play a musical instrument. However, there are people who are born with a______ability and who learn effortlessly.
2. The students in my class are of______ability, so I teach them in groups according to their level.
3. I have no doubts that he has______ability, but I don’t think his personality is suited to this kind of work.
4. We need somebody who has done this before – with the______ability to do the job.
5. I’m not a genius and I’m not stupid. I would describe myself as being of______ability.
6. I don’t know how she does it, but Annie Lennox has this______ability to electrify her audience.

Go back and underline all the Adjective+Ability collocations in this exercise.

Answer Key

Noun+Preposition+Ability

Ex1:

1. assessing
2. doubted
3. affect
4. lost
5. showed
6. overestimated

Noun+Preposition+Ability

Ex2:

1. test
2. use
3. reflection
4. confidence
5. best
6. lack

Common Adjective Collocations

Ex3:

1. natural
2. mixed
3. considerable
4. proven
5. average
6. incredible

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