English pronunciation · Words Starting with A
Ability Pronunciation
Ability is pronounced uh-BI-luh-tee, IPA /əˈbɪləˌti/.
uh-BI-luh-tee
US /əˈbɪləˌti/ · UK /əˈbɪləˌti/
Syllables: uh · BI · luh · tee (4 syllables, stress on syllable 2)
noun: The power or skill needed to do something.
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Ability in a Sentence
- She has a real ability to calm a room down.
- The job needs the ability to work without supervision.
- Nobody doubts his ability as a cook.
Common Mispronunciations of Ability
Not ay-BI-luh-tee
Swallow the first letter down to a breath of uh. That reduction, rather than any consonant, is what tells ability apart from able.
Not uh-bi-LI-tee
Peak on BI, the second of four beats, and let the two that follow run away quietly.
Tip: Able carries a long ay and ability does not, so the family splits at exactly that point.
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