good ability

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "good ability" is correct and usable in written English.
You could use it when you are describing someone or something's skills or talents. For example: "His ability to play the piano is a testament to his good ability."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

He's shown some good ability.

The New York Times - Sports

It's not a very good ability, in all honesty.

The Guardian - Film

He has very good technique, very good ability to track back and recover.

Independent

"He's got a very good ability to read what a play needs".

The New York Times - Sports

All screened bacteria exhibited a good ability to emulsify the crude oil.

Journal of Petroleum Science and Engineering

The experimental results confirm that coal ash has a good ability of potassium adsorption.

Powder Technology

The K-means algorithm has good ability to handle the large number of scanned data.

Procedia Engineering

It indicates that the device had a good ability of anti-flow fluctuations.

Powder Technology

In addition, it showed neuroprotective effect and good ability to penetrate the BBB.

European Journal of Medicinal Chemistry

Regression statistics confirmed good ability of trained network to predict compounds retention.

Talanta

The reactor model showed good ability for predicting char conversion and product gas composition.

Fuel

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing someone's skill, follow "good ability" with a prepositional phrase clarifying the area of expertise (e.g., "good ability in mathematics", "good ability at problem-solving").

Common error

Avoid pairing "good ability" with weak verbs like "has" or "shows." Use more descriptive verbs (e.g., "demonstrates", "exhibits", "possesses") to strengthen your writing.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "good ability" functions as a noun phrase, where "good" modifies the noun "ability". It is typically used as a subject complement or object to describe someone's level of competence or potential in a particular area, as affirmed by Ludwig.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

34%

News & Media

34%

Academia

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

2%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "good ability" is a grammatically sound and widely used expression to describe competence or potential. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness. The phrase appears frequently in a variety of contexts, from scientific literature to news reports, suggesting a neutral register. While "good ability" is a general term, it can be strengthened by specifying the area of expertise. Consider alternatives like "strong aptitude" or "considerable talent" to provide greater nuance. Overall, "good ability" is a reliable and versatile phrase for expressing positive assessment of skill or capacity.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

strong aptitude

Focuses on innate talent rather than developed skill, implying a natural inclination.

considerable talent

Emphasizes a high degree of natural skill or gift.

notable proficiency

Highlights expertise achieved through practice and learning; more formal.

remarkable competence

Stresses the ability to perform tasks effectively and efficiently.

decent skill set

Refers to a collection of abilities, often within a specific field.

high level of expertise

Implies deep knowledge and mastery in a particular domain.

demonstrated capability

Highlights proven skill through past performance; more formal.

solid competence

Similar to 'remarkable competence' but less emphatic.

adeptness

Highlights skill and quickness in performance.

capacity

Refers to the potential or inherent ability to do something.

FAQs

How can I use "good ability" in a sentence?

You can use "good ability" to describe someone's competence in a specific skill or area. For example, "She has a "good ability" to learn new languages quickly."

What are some alternatives to "good ability"?

Depending on the context, you can use alternatives like "strong aptitude", "considerable talent", or "notable proficiency".

Is it better to say "good ability" or "great ability"?

"Great ability" implies a higher level of skill than "good ability". The choice depends on the degree of competence you want to convey.

What is the difference between "good ability" and "skill"?

"Ability" refers to the general capacity to do something, while "skill" implies proficiency developed through practice. "Good ability" suggests a natural aptitude, whereas "skill" emphasizes learned competence.