I'm not able to differentiate between 'ability' and 'capability'.
May I ask someone to please help.
Sulfur dioxide, a major contributor to acid rain, is an especially serious pollutant because it diminishes the respiratory system’s ability to deal with all other pollutants.
(A) an especially serious pollutant because it diminishes the respiratory system’s ability to deal
(B) an especially serious pollutant because of diminishing the respiratory system’s capability of dealing
(C) an especially serious pollutant because it diminishes the capability of the respiratory system in dealing
(D) a specially serious pollutant because it diminishes the capability of the respiratory system to deal
(E) a specially serious pollutant because of diminishing the respiratory system’s ability to deal
The correct answer is 'A'. How we reached at it ?
TIA
Nitin
PS - I tried searching for this on the forum, but could not find any helpful material
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Difference between 'Ability' and 'Capability'
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lunarpower
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there definitely isn't a firm distinction between the two; their definitions overlap to a great extent, if not completely.nitin86 wrote:I'm not able to differentiate between 'ability' and 'capability'.
May I ask someone to please help.
Sulfur dioxide, a major contributor to acid rain, is an especially serious pollutant because it diminishes the respiratory system’s ability to deal with all other pollutants.
(A) an especially serious pollutant because it diminishes the respiratory system’s ability to deal
(B) an especially serious pollutant because of diminishing the respiratory system’s capability of dealing
(C) an especially serious pollutant because it diminishes the capability of the respiratory system in dealing
(D) a specially serious pollutant because it diminishes the capability of the respiratory system to deal
(E) a specially serious pollutant because of diminishing the respiratory system’s ability to deal
The correct answer is 'A'. How we reached at it ?
TIA
Nitin
PS - I tried searching for this on the forum, but could not find any helpful material
what i would take from this example is that the gmat considers 'capability of X-ing' wordy/awkward, and prefers 'ability to X'. as a native english speaker, i would agree with the gmat makers on this: 'capability of dealing with' just sounds horrible to me.
so memorize this as a matter of idiomatic usage. there doesn't necessarily have to be a good reason; that's just the way it is.
sorry there's no concrete reason!
Ron has been teaching various standardized tests for 20 years.
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Pueden hacerle preguntas a Ron en castellano
Potete chiedere domande a Ron in italiano
On peut poser des questions à Ron en français
Voit esittää kysymyksiä Ron:lle myös suomeksi
--
Quand on se sent bien dans un vêtement, tout peut arriver. Un bon vêtement, c'est un passeport pour le bonheur.
Yves Saint-Laurent
--
Learn more about ron
is there any difference between these 2 sentences
if these are also included as answer choics, which one would be more appropriate?
an especially serious pollutant because it diminishes the respiratory system’s ability to deal
an especially serious pollutant because of diminishing the respiratory system’s ability to deal
if these are also included as answer choics, which one would be more appropriate?
an especially serious pollutant because it diminishes the respiratory system’s ability to deal
an especially serious pollutant because of diminishing the respiratory system’s ability to deal
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chidcguy
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able to and capable of both mean the same, but the idiomatic usage is what makes the choices right or wrong
We do not need to change the adverb especially to specially which leads to a different meaning. D & E are out
B has a weird usage of because of.
Between A and C ability to deal is concise and capability of dealing sounds awkward.
I also felt that capability is nothing but the state of ability and when we have a direct reference to that state in a concise fashion we should stick with it. As some one said it's probably a GMAT preference. Just like GMAT prefers considered X Y to considered X as Y.
We do not need to change the adverb especially to specially which leads to a different meaning. D & E are out
B has a weird usage of because of.
Between A and C ability to deal is concise and capability of dealing sounds awkward.
I also felt that capability is nothing but the state of ability and when we have a direct reference to that state in a concise fashion we should stick with it. As some one said it's probably a GMAT preference. Just like GMAT prefers considered X Y to considered X as Y.
I think only 1st one is corrbarron wrote:is there any difference between these 2 sentences
if these are also included as answer choics, which one would be more appropriate?
an especially serious pollutant because it diminishes the respiratory system’s ability to deal
an especially serious pollutant because of diminishing the respiratory system’s ability to deal
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annakool1009
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----------------------------------------------------arorag wrote:I think only 1st one is corrbarron wrote:is there any difference between these 2 sentences
if these are also included as answer choics, which one would be more appropriate?
an especially serious pollutant because it diminishes the respiratory system’s ability to deal
an especially serious pollutant because of diminishing the respiratory system’s ability to deal
The first one would be correct. "Because OF diminishing" sounds awkward in the context of the sentence.
"Because IT diminishes" is more direct and concise usage.
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vineetbatra
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Ron,
In a different post you mentioned that Because of VerbIng is an incorrect usage. So B will be wrong because of this reason.
Please confirm.
Thanks,
Vineet
In a different post you mentioned that Because of VerbIng is an incorrect usage. So B will be wrong because of this reason.
Please confirm.
Thanks,
Vineet
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pradeepkaushal9518
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akhpad
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Because of X, Y -> X should be noun / noun phrasevineetbatra wrote:Ron,
In a different post you mentioned that Because of VerbIng is an incorrect usage. So B will be wrong because of this reason.
Please confirm.
Thanks,
Vineet
Because of X + verb+ing -> this is wrong. This can be true only when X is in possessive case. As gerund requires possessive case.
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akhpad
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Ron has discussed in detail in his free lecture about this problem.
https://www.manhattangmat.com/thursdays-with-ron.cfm Date:Thursday, November 12, 2009
I hope you love it.
https://www.manhattangmat.com/thursdays-with-ron.cfm Date:Thursday, November 12, 2009
I hope you love it.
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vineetbatra
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mayank11881
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lunarpower wrote:there definitely isn't a firm distinction between the two; their definitions overlap to a great extent, if not completely.nitin86 wrote:I'm not able to differentiate between 'ability' and 'capability'.
May I ask someone to please help.
Sulfur dioxide, a major contributor to acid rain, is an especially serious pollutant because it diminishes the respiratory system�s ability to deal with all other pollutants.
(A) an especially serious pollutant because it diminishes the respiratory system�s ability to deal
(B) an especially serious pollutant because of diminishing the respiratory system�s capability of dealing
(C) an especially serious pollutant because it diminishes the capability of the respiratory system in dealing
(D) a specially serious pollutant because it diminishes the capability of the respiratory system to deal
(E) a specially serious pollutant because of diminishing the respiratory system�s ability to deal
The correct answer is 'A'. How we reached at it ?
TIA
Nitin
PS - I tried searching for this on the forum, but could not find any helpful material
what i would take from this example is that the gmat considers 'capability of X-ing' wordy/awkward, and prefers 'ability to X'. as a native english speaker, i would agree with the gmat makers on this: 'capability of dealing with' just sounds horrible to me.
so memorize this as a matter of idiomatic usage. there doesn't necessarily have to be a good reason; that's just the way it is.
sorry there's no concrete reason!
I am your fan sir!!
