Cool MateCapable vs He's pretty good at that
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Capable
Top 2,000 (common)B2adjective
He's pretty good at that
Top 2,000 (common)
| Capable | He's pretty good at that | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 /["/ˈkeɪpəbl/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ˈkeɪpəbl/"]/ | 🇬🇧 //hiːz ˈprɪti ɡʊd æt ðæt//🇺🇸 //hiz ˈprɪti ɡʊd æt ðæt// |
| Meaning | able to do something; having the skill or power to do it | He is quite skilled at that. |
| Example | She is quite capable of handling difficult situations on her own. | He's pretty good at that painting technique. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 2,000 (common) | Top 2,000 (common) |
| CEFR level | B2 | - |
| Part of speech | adjective | |
| Collocations | appear, be, feel, fully, more than, perfectly, be, seem, extremely, fairly, very | pretty good at something, really good at something, not so good at something |
| Antonyms | incapable, unable | - |
| Common mistakes | Confused about using 'capable of' versus 'capable for'., Using 'capability' instead of 'capable' incorrectly., Using 'capable' as an adverb (it’s an adjective). | Using 'pretty' with negative phrases, e.g., 'not pretty good', Misplacing the adjective, saying 'good pretty at that', Replacing 'at' with 'in', which changes the meaning |
| Usage notes | Use 'capable' to describe someone or something that has the ability to achieve a task. It's suitable in both personal and professional contexts. Avoid using it in overly casual situations. | Used in informal contexts to compliment someone's ability. Avoid in very formal writing. |
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Frequently asked questions: Capable vs He's pretty good at that
What's the difference between Capable and He's pretty good at that?
Capable: able to do something; having the skill or power to do it He's pretty good at that: He is quite skilled at that.
Can you show an example of each?
Capable: She is quite capable of handling difficult situations on her own. He's pretty good at that: He's pretty good at that painting technique.
Can I use Capable and He's pretty good at that interchangeably?
Not always. Capable and He's pretty good at that are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.