cultivated the ability

USAGE SUMMARY

"cultivated the ability" is a grammatically correct phrase and can be used in written English.
It means to develop or improve a skill or talent. Example: Over the years, she has cultivated the ability to empathize with others, making her a great therapist.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

Patients came to doctors and doctors cultivated the ability to predict what would happen.

The New York Times - Health

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

You intentionally put your body in postures that are right at the edge of discomfort and then cultivate the ability to stay there.

The New York Times

She shares this quality with Hong; both have a remarkable sense of crystallizing personal experience into a story (cultivating the ability to do so, in fact, is a little subplot of "Oki's Movie").

The New Yorker

Cultivating the ability to manage and mitigate conflict (from political or personal squabbles to full-blown wars) is, as it happens, one of the Anglican leader's declared personal interests: a useful quality for anybody trying to hold a fractious church together.

The Economist

Agility means keeping yourself open to these possibilities, designing your professional life to expose yourself to them as much as possible, and cultivating the ability to take advantage of them when they arise.

Science Magazine

Most VLs convey an oversimplified view of scientific inquiry, which might handicap science education in terms of cultivating the ability to conduct authentic scientific inquiry and to solve everyday problems, or promoting students' scientific literacy.

Computers & Education

With mindfulness practice, we can cultivate the ability to slow down that stress response.

Huffington Post

So, is there a simple way to begin to support leadership development and cultivate the ability to lead with excellence?

Huffington Post

Teachers are supposed help cultivate the ability and confidence to think critically, which often has little to do with communicating facts or exam or essay techniques.

Vice

Cultivating the ability to live with uncertainty and learning to live in the mystery are ways of taking care of the soul for it thrives in the mists of uncertainty where all possibilities exist.

Huffington Post

So I began to put more and more of my attention on the all-important question: How can we cultivate the ability and readiness to express the beauty, perfection and wholeness discovered in spiritual revelation?

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "cultivated the ability" to emphasize a deliberate and sustained effort in developing a skill or trait over time. This phrase is especially effective when highlighting personal growth or professional development.

Common error

Avoid using "cultivated the ability" in contexts where simpler verbs like "learned" or "gained" would suffice. Overusing it can make your writing sound unnecessarily verbose or pretentious.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "cultivated the ability" functions as a verb phrase acting as a predicate, describing the action of developing or improving a particular skill or talent. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and common usage.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

53%

Science

27%

Wiki

7%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

5%

Formal & Business

3%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "cultivated the ability" is a grammatically sound and commonly used phrase that describes the process of developing a skill or talent through deliberate effort. According to Ludwig AI, the phrase is appropriate for various contexts, though more suited to formal writing styles. While alternatives like "developed the skill" exist, "cultivated the ability" emphasizes the effort and dedication involved. It's a powerful way to highlight personal growth, as demonstrated in the examples provided by Ludwig.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

developed the aptitude

Switches from "ability" to "aptitude" and uses "developed" instead of "cultivated".

honed the skill

Replaces "ability" with "skill" and "cultivated" with "honed", implying a refinement process.

nurtured the talent

Uses "talent" instead of "ability" and "nurtured" instead of "cultivated", suggesting a more caring development.

fostered the capacity

Substitutes "ability" with "capacity" and "cultivated" with "fostered", indicating encouragement and growth.

enhanced the potential

Replaces "ability" with "potential" and "cultivated" with "enhanced", emphasizing the improvement of underlying capabilities.

refined the expertise

Uses "expertise" instead of "ability" and "refined" instead of "cultivated", focusing on the improvement of specialized knowledge.

improved the proficiency

Substitutes "ability" with "proficiency" and "cultivated" with "improved", highlighting a gain in competence.

advanced the competence

Replaces "ability" with "competence" and "cultivated" with "advanced", indicating progression in skill.

strengthened the faculty

Uses "faculty" instead of "ability" and "strengthened" instead of "cultivated", suggesting a reinforcement of inherent powers.

mastered the art

Replaces "ability" with "art" and "cultivated" with "mastered", focusing on achieving excellence in a craft.

FAQs

How can I use "cultivated the ability" in a sentence?

You can use "cultivated the ability" to describe the process of developing a skill or talent through effort and practice. For instance, "Through years of dedicated practice, she "cultivated the ability" to play the piano beautifully."

What are some alternatives to "cultivated the ability"?

Alternatives include "developed the skill", "honed the talent", or "nurtured the capacity". The best choice depends on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it more formal to say "cultivated the ability" or "developed the ability"?

"Cultivated the ability" often carries a slightly more formal and sophisticated tone compared to "developed the ability", suggesting a more intentional and refined development process.

What's the difference between "cultivated the ability" and "acquired the ability"?

"Cultivated the ability" implies a gradual and nurtured development, whereas "acquired the ability" suggests obtaining a skill, perhaps more passively or through a specific event or training.