ability to understand and adapt

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "ability to understand and adapt" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when discussing someone's skills or qualities, particularly in contexts related to learning, problem-solving, or adjusting to new situations. Example: "Her ability to understand and adapt to changing circumstances makes her an invaluable team member."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

Outside of their ranks, however, the average user's ability to understand and adapt the tools they are using has steadily declined.

BBC

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

We used familiar frames like "social, local, and mobile" to understand and adapt to it.

Huffington Post

The ability to understand and speak all languages.

The Guardian

As we look ahead another 25 years and beyond, it will be our ability to understand, predict, and adapt to a rapidly changing world that will enable not only CIESIN, but also all of humanity to survive and thrive.

Columbia University

He also emphasizes that learner readiness does not only involve technical expertise but also the ability to understand pedagogical principles and to adapt strategies necessary to successful online language learning.

International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education

Cars will understand and adapt to their driver's behavior and preferences.

TechCrunch

Like Ron Johnson's move from Apple to JCP, Ms. Mayer showed that even tech execs often lack an ability to understand market trends and the skills to adapt an organization.

Forbes

Musical intelligence: the ability to understand, perceive and create music.

WikiHow

"Our intelligence and our ability to understand through science and technology and the development of industry [has enabled] us to change our environment at speeds that our natural genetic evolutionary forces are unable to adapt to," he explained.

Environmental Health Perspectives

Although Mandelson has been open to the charge of an excessive interest in presentational politics, his has a formidable ability to understand the needs of the modern media and adapt his message to those ends.

Forbes

"Context matters... .. and as Khanna defines it, "Contextual Intelligence [is] the ability to understand the limits of our knowledge and to adapt that knowledge to an environment different from the one in which it was developed".

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing this ability in a resume or professional context, provide specific examples to showcase how you've demonstrated it in the past. Use action verbs and quantifiable results to emphasize your impact.

Common error

Avoid generically claiming you have the "ability to understand and adapt" without providing concrete evidence. Instead, illustrate this ability with specific scenarios where you successfully applied it.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "ability to understand and adapt" functions primarily as a noun phrase that identifies a capability or competence. It is often used as the subject or object of a sentence, describing a person's or entity's capacity to both comprehend and adjust to circumstances, as validated by Ludwig.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

38%

Science

31%

Academia

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

9%

Wiki

2%

Encyclopedias

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "ability to understand and adapt" is a versatile and widely used expression denoting competence in both comprehension and adjustment. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's grammatically correct and suitable for various contexts. It sees frequent use across news, scientific, and academic domains, highlighting its relevance in describing capabilities crucial for success and resilience. Related phrases offer nuanced alternatives, while writing guidance emphasizes the importance of backing up claims with concrete examples. Overall, "ability to understand and adapt" is a valuable phrase for conveying the capacity to thrive in dynamic environments.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

capacity to comprehend and adjust

Substitutes "ability" with "capacity" and uses the simpler verb "adjust" instead of "adapt".

skill in grasping and modifying

Replaces "ability to understand" with "skill in grasping" and uses "modifying" instead of "adapting", emphasizing a practical skill.

aptitude for comprehension and adaptation

Uses "aptitude" to suggest a natural talent, and separates "comprehension" and "adaptation" as distinct nouns.

proficiency in understanding and adapting

Emphasizes a high level of competence through the word "proficiency".

talent for interpreting and adapting

Focuses on "interpreting" as the understanding component, implying a deeper level of analysis.

knack for understanding and adjusting

Uses "knack" to suggest an intuitive understanding and "adjusting" for simpler adaptation.

competence in grasping and adapting

Highlights a general competence rather than a specific ability.

facility with understanding and adapting

Uses "facility" to denote ease and smoothness in both understanding and adapting.

power to understand and evolve

Replaces "adapt" with "evolve", suggesting a more fundamental or long-term change.

potential for comprehension and growth

Focuses on future possibilities rather than current capabilities, using "growth" to imply adaptation.

FAQs

How to use "ability to understand and adapt" in a sentence?

You can use "ability to understand and adapt" when describing someone's skills or qualities, particularly in contexts related to learning, problem-solving, or adjusting to new situations. For example, "Her "ability to understand and adapt" to changing circumstances makes her an invaluable team member".

What can I say instead of "ability to understand and adapt"?

You can use alternatives like "capacity to comprehend and adjust", "skill in grasping and modifying", or "aptitude for comprehension and adaptation" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "ability to understand and adapt" or "ability of understanding and adapting"?

"Ability to understand and adapt" is the correct and more common phrasing. The phrase "ability of understanding and adapting" is grammatically awkward and less frequently used.

What's the difference between "ability to understand and adapt" and "ability to learn and adapt"?

"Ability to understand and adapt" emphasizes the comprehension of existing information and subsequent adjustment. "Ability to learn and adapt" focuses on acquiring new knowledge and then adjusting based on that new learning.