Cool MateCapable vs He's pretty good at that vs Talented
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Capable
He's pretty good at that
Talented
| Capable | He's pretty good at that | Talented | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 /["/ˈkeɪpəbl/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ˈkeɪpəbl/"]/ | 🇬🇧 //hiːz ˈprɪti ɡʊd æt ðæt//🇺🇸 //hiz ˈprɪti ɡʊd æt ðæt// | 🇬🇧 /["/ˈtæləntɪd/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ˈtæləntɪd/"]/ |
| Meaning | able to do something; having the skill or power to do it | He is quite skilled at that. | Having a natural ability to do something well. |
| Example | She is quite capable of handling difficult situations on her own. | He's pretty good at that painting technique. | a talented player/musician/artist |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 2,000 (common) | Top 2,000 (common) | Top 1,000 (very common) |
| CEFR level | B2 | - | B1 |
| Part of speech | adjective | 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 | be, seem, extremely, fairly, very |
| Antonyms | incapable, unable | - | untalented, incompetent, inept |
| 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 | Saying 'talent' instead of 'talented' when describing a person., Using 'talented' without mentioning the specific skill or ability., Confusing 'talented' with 'talentless'. |
| 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. | Use 'talented' to describe someone who is skilled at something. It is appropriate in both casual and professional contexts. Avoid using it to describe someone's personal qualities unrelated to skills. |
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Frequently asked questions: Capable vs He's pretty good at that vs Talented
What's the difference between Capable, He's pretty good at that, and Talented?
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. Talented: Having a natural ability to do something well.
Which is more common: Capable, He's pretty good at that, and Talented?
Talented is the most common in everyday English.
Which is more advanced: Capable, He's pretty good at that, and Talented?
Capable is the highest level, at B2, on the CEFR scale.
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. Talented: a talented player/musician/artist
Can I use Capable, He's pretty good at that, and Talented interchangeably?
Not always. Capable, He's pretty good at that, and Talented 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.