she is ably

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "she is ably" is not correct in standard written English.
The adverb "ably" is typically used to modify verbs, not to describe a subject directly. Example: "She is ably managing the project despite the challenges."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Arts

Lifestyle

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

4 human-written examples

She is ably assisted by co-star Michael Cera, who throws off his Superbad silliness, to find a darkly unsettling but still very funny persona in Brink.

The Guardian - Film

She is ably assisted: Jaime Camil as Jane's father is a particular delight, and I love the narrator, whose wink-wink-nudge-nudge tone is perfectly pitched.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

The excellent lyric soprano Christiane Karg sings beautifully in Héro's aria, unruffled by the physical busyness, and makes a bittersweet moment of the duo-nocturne, in which she is ably joined by the mezzo-soprano Ann-Beth Solvang as Ursule.

The New York Times - Arts

She is ably flanked by her fierce backup singers, the Sweet Peaches (Helga Davis and Sonya Perryman), and a five-piece band led by Bobby Halvorson, who wrote most of the songs with Mr. Jones.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

51 human-written examples

She was ably assisted by Steny Hoyer of Maryland as floor leader.

The New York Times

Ms. Winkelman seemed unfazed by their range and complexity, and she was ably supported by Anton Kernjak at the piano.

The New York Times - Arts

Throughout her career, she was ably supported by her distinguished physician husband, Dr Gerry James, who survives her, as do her two daughters, Amanda and Auriole.

The Guardian

She was ably supported by the Kevin Hays Trio (Mr. Hays on piano, Rob Jost on bass, Greg Joseph on drums, and a special guest, Teddy Kumpel, on guitar, banjo and mandolin), whose pop-jazz arrangements hewed closely to the originals.

The New York Times - Arts

Michelle DeYoung, the mezzo-soprano, gave a shapely, purposeful account of the Nietzsche setting in the fourth movement and the "Knaben Wunderhorn" setting in the fifth, in which she was ably supported by members of the New York Virtuoso Singers and the Brooklyn Youth Chorus.

The New York Times - Arts

(She's ably assisted on piano by Michael Roulston and co-writer Adele Anderson).

Huffington Post

Konstanze (named so after Mozart's wife, Constanze Weber) is the prima donna of the show, and she was ably taken on by Russian soprano Albina Shagimuratova.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using the phrase “she is ably” in formal writing. Opt for alternatives like "she performs ably" or "she is competent" for clearer and more grammatically sound sentences.

Common error

A common mistake is to use “ably” to directly describe a person, as in “she is ably”. Instead, use “ably” to modify a verb, like "she performs ably", or use an adjective like "competent" or "skilled" to describe the person directly.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "she is ably" attempts to describe a subject's inherent capability. However, according to Ludwig AI, it's not grammatically sound. The adverb "ably" typically modifies verbs, indicating how an action is performed, rather than directly describing a person.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

42%

Arts

33%

Encyclopedias

8%

Less common in

Science

8%

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "she is ably" might appear in some sources, including news and media, it's generally considered grammatically incorrect. Ludwig AI indicates that "ably" should modify verbs, not directly describe a noun. For clearer and more accurate communication, use alternatives such as "she performs ably", "she is competent", or "she is skilled". These options ensure grammatical correctness and effectively convey the intended meaning. Always strive for precision and clarity in your writing to avoid potential misinterpretations.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

she performs ably

Changes the structure to use "ably" as an adverb modifying the verb "performs".

she manages ably

Rephrases to use "ably" as an adverb modifying the verb "manages".

she is competent

Replaces the adverb "ably" with the adjective "competent" to describe her skill directly.

she is skillful

Replaces "ably" with the adjective "skillful", focusing on her proficiency.

she is proficient

Uses "proficient" instead of "ably" to indicate her high degree of competence.

she is effective

Shifts the focus to her effectiveness rather than her inherent ability.

she is effectively assisted

Focuses on the assistance provided and its effectiveness.

she is supported ably

Emphasizes the support she receives, highlighting its quality.

she is competently assisted

Highlights the competence of those assisting her.

she executes with skill

Emphasizes her execution and the skill involved.

FAQs

How can I correctly use the word "ably" in a sentence?

Use "ably" as an adverb to modify a verb, such as "She performed "ably"" or "She managed the project "ably"". It describes how an action is performed.

What's a better way to say "she is ably"?

Instead of "she is ably", you can say "she is "competent"", "she is "skillful"", or "she is "proficient"". These alternatives directly describe her ability.

Is it grammatically correct to say "she is ably"?

No, it's not considered grammatically correct. "Ably" is an adverb and should modify a verb, not describe a noun directly. Use alternatives like "she performs "ably"" instead.

Which is correct, "she is ably" or "she is able"?

"She is "able"" is the correct phrasing. "Able" is an adjective that can directly describe someone's capability. "Ably" modifies verbs, not subjects.