The phrase "able to apply an" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when discussing someone's capability or skill in utilizing a particular concept, method, or tool.
Example: "She is able to apply an innovative approach to problem-solving that enhances team productivity."
Alternatives: "capable of applying a" or "skilled in applying an".
With the transistor, the researchers were able to apply an electric field that could draw electrons away from the buckyballs or drive additional electrons onto them.
Once the movement that makes up a person's emotional state is defined, filmmakers will be able to apply an entire set of actions with one keystroke rather than arching a character's eyebrow or flaring a nostril individually.
In addition to being able to apply an array of different techniques to marine research, part of the appeal of working at a small, marine-research-based company such as ONC is the breadth of experience gained.
As Andrew Rasiej of the Personal Democracy Forum puts it, "Why haven't we been able to apply an equal level of innovation in the way we vote?" Time and again Americans are reminded of how inadequate our voting technology is.
To utilize ILP, all instances of the original problem are converted into ILP, to be able to apply an existing solver.
There are some intrinsic limitations for the inhalative use of epinephrine as studied here, because the patient needs to be able to apply an appropriate inhalation technique and to maintain a sufficient duration of the inhalation.
An expert is able to apply a subset of his or her knowledge to particular problems with less effort than a student (Bransford et al., 2000).
Outcome 4: Students will be able to apply a theory of media effects to a media message or organization.
I enjoy being able to apply a lot of the fundamentals of chemistry and chemical engineering to very tangible problems.
That's the thing I love most about my PhD: being able to apply a non-bird person's approach to solve a bird problem.
"Only now, one year later, am I really able to apply a lot of it because it was so intensive at the time.
