1. 表示“能力”、“能够”,多为不可数名词;表示“才能”、“才干”,多用复数形式。如: He is a man of ability. 他是位有能力的人。 He is a man of many abilities. 他是位多才多艺的人。 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. 他能流利地说英语。 The ability to be clearly heard is extremely important for newsreaders. 声音宏亮清晰对新闻广播员来说极为重要。 但在现代英语中,也可后接 of doing sth(不如接不定式普遍,建议初学者谨用)。如: I admire his ability of doing the work quickly. 我羡慕他工作做得快。 3. ability的反义词是inability,不是disability——inability表示没有能力或没有才能,而disability则指因先天缺陷或受伤变残而导致的无能。如: Physical disability causes mental anguish. 生理伤残会引起心理苦闷。