1. 能　having the physical or mental power, skill, time, money, opportunity, etc. needed to do sth
2. 聪明的，能干的　intelligent or good at doing sth

　～ administrator　干练得力的行政官员
　～ child　能干的孩子
　～ defence　漂亮的辩护
　～ doctor　能干的大夫
　～ fellow　能干的小伙子
　～ helper　得力的助手
　～ lawyer　能干的律师
　～ leader　有才干的领导人
　～ man　能干的人
　～ manager　能干的经理
　～ orator　出色的演说家
　～ performance　有水平的演出
　～ seaman　一等水兵
　～ secretary　能干的秘书
　～ speech　有说服力的演说
　～ student　有才能的学生
　～ teacher　能力佳的教师
　～ woman　能干的女人
　marvellously ～ author　才华出众的作者
　recently ～ book　最近出版的一本有分量的书
　better ～　更有能力
　more ～　更有能力
　poorly ～　勉强能够
　quite ～　很能干
　very ～　很有能力
　be ～ to answer　有能力回答
　be ～ to come　能够来
　be ～ to cure　能够治愈
　be ～ to finish　有能力完成
　be ～ to go　能够去
　be ～ to help　能够帮助
　be ～ to inherit　有资格继承
　be ～ to move　能移动
　be ～ to persuade　能说服
　be ～ to read　能读书
　be ～ to see　能看见
　be ～ to sit up　能坐起来
　be ～ to swim　会游泳
　be ～ to teach　有能力教
　be ～ to walk　能行走
　be ～ for　有能力做…
　be ～ in　善于…

　She is an able leader.　她是一位有才干的领导。
　He's an able speaker.　他是个有水平的演说家。
　He is an able actor.　他是一位有才能的演员。
　He is an able engineer.　他是一位能干的工程师。
　She is a very able driver.　她车开得很好。
　He was acknowledged as an able statesman.　他被公认为是个有才干的政治家。
　There are many able students in our institute.　我们学校有许多有才华的学生。
　The able pilot successfully landed the crippled plane on the road.　技术熟练的飞行员成功地把受损的飞机降落在马路上。
　That's an able portrait.　那是一幅笔法娴熟的肖像画。
　The audience applauded his able speech.　听众对他精彩的演说报以掌声。
　The lawyer put forward an able defence of his client.　那律师为其委托人做了一次漂亮的辩护。
　The man made a very able speech.　那个人做了一次很出色的演讲。
　She's an abler 〔a more able〕 teacher than he is.　同他相比，她是一个更为称职的老师。
　Brooks is the most able student in the class.　布鲁克斯是班上最有才华的学生。
　He is the ablest man I know.　他是我所认识的最有才干的人。
　This problem is now being looked at by some of the ablest scientists in the country.　现在全国最有才干的科学家正在研究这一问题。
　Ami is an infant barely able to walk.　阿米是个刚会走的婴孩。
　The general impression at the studio was that he was able.　在这个画室获得的总的印象是他很有才能。
　He could almost always get a job, because he was so able.　因为他如此能干，所以他几乎总能找到工作。
　As long as he was physically able, he went to work in the fields.　只要身体行，他就下田干活。
　He is the most able.　他是我们中最能干的一个。
　She's by far the ablest in the class.　她是目前班上最聪明的一个。
　Leave real living to people who are able for it.　把真正的生活留给有能力生活的人们吧。
　He felt able for the journey.　他觉得能去旅行。
　Mary is able for four helpings of dessert.　玛丽一口气能吃四道甜食。
　He was not able for much work.　他不能做太多的工作。
　He was not so able in management as expected.　他不如人们所期望的那样善于管理。
　I am able to pay you now.　我现在能付给你钱了。
　The workers are able to improve the machine.　工人们能改进这台机器。
　Most children are able to walk before they are able to talk.　多数孩子在会说话前就会走路了。
　I don't think he is able to take any more bad news.　我想他再受不了更多的坏消息了。
　He is financially able to establish a home.　他在经济上有能力成家。
　He is able to write music.　他会作曲。
　I am able to swim.　我会游泳。
　She is quite able to teach.　她很会教书。
　My wife is able to sing and dance.　我妻子能歌善舞。
　The young man is able to do great things.　那个年轻人能干大事。
　I don't think he's able to do this type of work.　我认为他不能胜任这样的工作。
　Birds are able to fly.　鸟儿会飞。
　The dog is able to count.　那条狗能数数。
　The satellites are able to observe the changes of climate on earth by means of remote sensors.　人造卫星能够利用遥感观测地球上的气候变化。
　The answering machine is able to store messages that are up to two minutes in length.　录音电话能够录存长达两分钟的信息。
　A good auditorium will assure that the sound is able to be heard from every seat.　好的礼堂得保证每个座位的听众都听得到声音。
　Is the electronic computer able to think?　电子计算机能够思考吗?
　The rage of a wild boar is able to spoil more than one wood.　野猪发怒毁树多。
　Paul isn't able to come to the party because he is ill.　保罗不能来参加聚会，因为他病了。
　They will be able to finish the work tomorrow.　他们明天能完成这项工作。
　We shall be able to reach our destination tomorrow.　我们明天可以到达目的地了。
　One day man will be able to control some unknown factors of weather.　总有一天人类能够控制天气的某些未知因素。
　I believe that you will be able to speak English fluently in one month.　我相信你一个月内能流利地说英语。
　Have the nautical chart at your fingertips, and you'll be able to steer your ship.　熟水路才能划好船。
　After studying differential calculus you will be able to solve these mathematical problems.　学了微积分之后，你们就能够解这些数学题了。
　I hope you will be able to speak English better soon.　我希望你不久就能把英语讲得更好。
　Will you be able to finish the work before Sunday?　你能在星期天前完成这项工作吗?
　Will she be able to cope with the work?　她能够应付这项工作吗?
　I won't be able to see him today.　今天我不可能去看他。
　The patient was soon able to sit up.　病人很快就能坐起来了。
　By the time he graduated from college, he was able to speak three foreign languages.　大学毕业时，他已经能够说三种外语了。
　The night was clear and we were able to see the stars.　夜空明朗，我们得以看见星星。
　In this way, he was able to solve the mystery.　就这样，他揭开了谜底。
　I was able to run away, but Tony wasn't.　我逃走了，但是托尼却未能逃脱。
　He was able to jump into the sea before the boat was blown up.　船被炸掉以前他就跳到海里了。
　It was very difficult to make a heavy machine fly. But they were able to make it fly.　使很重的机器飞起来是很困难的，但是他们终于使它飞了起来。
　Then they beached the ship on the shore where they were able to repair the damage.　然后他们把船拖到岸上，修好了破损的地方。
　He was not able to see the difference.　他看不出差别来。
　He was sorry, he said, not to be able to give them a better farewell gift.　他说他很抱歉，没能送给他们更好的礼物。
　I'm sorry that I wasn't able to phone you yesterday.　对不起，昨天我没能打电话给你。
　He said that he was having financial difficulties and wasn't able to pay his bills.　他说他经济上有困难，无法付账。
　I haven't been able to go.　我没能去成。
　He has not been able to submit his report on time.　他没能如期交上报告。
　They have not been able to take a rest for three days.　他们已经一连三天未能休息了。
　I haven't been able to get in touch with her.　我一直没能跟她联系上。
　Had it not been for his help, they would not have been able to settle their dispute.　如果没有他的帮助，他们就不能解决他们的分歧。
　He's never been able to admit to his mistake.　他从不承认自己的错误。
　I may be able to see you tomorrow.　我明天可能去看你。
　You may not be able to discriminate between the sundry articles, but you can cross-check them.　不怕不识货，就怕货比货。
　You might be able to persuade him.　你也许能够说服他。
　If you give a blow, you must be able to take one.　如果你想打人一拳，就得能承受得住一击。
　I used to be able to swim like a fish.　从前我能像鱼一般游。
　The other planets may not be able to support life, but it isn't easy on this one either.　别的星球也许难以维持生命，可是在这个星球上也不容易。
　I don't feel able to go on with reading it.　我感觉不能继续看下去了。
　I hope to be able to do the work.　我希望能干得了这项工作。
　I regret not being able to help her.　我很遗憾未能帮助她。
　I love the house — it's wonderful being able to see the sea from my window.　我喜欢这房子——从我的窗口可以看见大海，太好了。
　He seemed able to put complicated thoughts in simple words.　也许他能用简洁的语言把复杂的思想表达出来。

 ♣ able, capable
　这两个词都可表示“能干的”“有能力的”“有才能的”。其区别是：
1. able常指做某事所需要的力量、技巧、知识、才干等，一般与效率无关，含有“精明能干，超过一般水平”的意思；capable指满足一般要求的能力，可以是表现出来的，也可以是潜在的。故可以说able表示的能力要比capable高。试比较下面两句：

2. able一般用于褒义或正面意义；而capable既可用于褒义或正面意义，也可用于贬义或负面意义。试比较下面两句：

3. able一般用于有生命的人或动物，即使是用于指一件做得很成功的事，其含义也重在表示做成该事的人有才能；而capable则可用于无生命的事物。试比较下面两句：

4. 用作表语时， able后接动词不定式；capable后接"of+名词或动名词”。试比较下面两句：

5. able一般指暂时现象，而capable则可指经常性现象。试比较下面两句：

6. able仅指主动地做某事的能力，而capable有时可指被动的承受能力或适应能力。试比较下面两句：

 ♣ able, enable
　这两个词都可接动词不定式。其区别在于：
1. able to-v的意思是“能够”；而enable to-v的意思是“使能够”。
2. able是形容词；而enable是动词，其后需接宾语。
 ♣ be able to, can
　这两者都有“能”的意思。其区别在于：
1. can还可表示“可以”“可能”，即具有某种感情色彩。例如：
　Can I come in?　我可以进来吗?
　That can't be true.　那不可能是真的。
　以上两句都不可换用be able to.
2. can只有现在时和过去时两种形式，而be able to则有多种时态形式。试比较下面两句：

3. 在be able to之前可加用另外一个助动词，且多用于否定或疑问结构，而can则无此用法。
4. 用于否定结构， be able to表达一时情况，而can则表达往常情况。试比较下面两句：

5. be able to后可接系表结构，表示一种状态或性质；而can没有这种用法。例如：
　He was able to be cold about her now.　他现在对她可能有些冷淡。
6. be able to有非谓语动词形式，而can则没有。例如：
　I hope to be able to do the work.　我希望能做这项工作。
 ♣ was/were able to, could
　这两者的共同意思是“过去能够”。其区别在于：
1. was/were able to只能表示一次性事件，不能表示经常性事件；而could可以用来表示习惯性动作的完成。例如：
　I could run after a bus and catch it twenty years ago, but I can't do that now. 　20年前我能追上公共汽车，现在不行了。
2. was/were able to不仅表示过去的能力与可能性，还表示“能够并确实做到”，相当于managed to do，而且重点往往在于“成功地实行”；而could主要表示“潜在的能力”。例如：

　但在否定句中，这种“潜能”与“完成”的区别就不存在了。两者都可以表示动作的未完成。例如：
　I ran after the bus, but couldn't〔wasn't able to〕 catch it.　我跑着追那辆公共汽车，但没能追上。

1. 有人认为be able to do sth中的to do sth是形容词able的补语，不过更多的是把be able to看作是一个起助动词作用的短语。
2. -able可作为构词成分与动词或名词结合构成形容词，意为①可以…的；能…的；应…的。例如：acceptable可接受的；countable可数的。②值得…的。例如：admirable值得尊敬的。③给予…的；具有…特点的。例如：fashionable时髦的。④倾向于…的。例如：peaceable倾向和平的。⑤适合…的。例如：drinkable适于饮用的。⑥易于…的。例如：breakable易碎的。
3. 传统语法认为able接的动词不定式必须是主动语态。但由于受语义影响，目前在英美非正式口语里已出现接被动语态的动词不定式的情况，例如：
　The difficulties were able to be overcome by the students of our class.　我们班的同学能够克服这些困难。
　不过这种用法对于初学者来说还是慎用为好。

　［派生词］ ably adv.能干地，熟练地
　［同义词］ adequate, capable, competent, equal to, fit, fitted, having the means, qualified, accomplished, adept, apt, effective, efficient, experienced, expert, good, highly qualified, learned, masterful, practiced, proficient, skilled, skillful, talented
　［反义词］ inadequate, incapable, incompetent, unfit, unqualified, incapable, ineffective, inept, inexpert, unskillful
　［词源］拉丁语habilis（可以马上使用的）