What does capable mean?
Word: Capable
Part of Speech: Adjective
Meaning: Capable means having the skill or the strength to do something well.
Synonyms: able, skilled
How do you spell capable?
Syllables: ca - pa - ble
Tricky part: The last part sounds the same whether it is spelt able or ible, so many children guess ible. This word takes able.
Watch out for: capible, capeble
Memory tip: A capable person is able, so let that same word close it.
Capable in a sentence
Example 1: Meera is a capable captain who keeps the whole team calm.
Example 2: Our new monitor is capable of running the library club alone.
Example 3: You are capable of far better handwriting than this, said Miss Rao.
Fun Fact
Capable goes back to the Latin word capere, to take or hold, so its earliest idea was being able to hold or take something in. Capacity is a close relative.
Practise the CREST Way
Mingle-Mangle
Form a meaningful word from the jumbled letters:
lbacaep
a) capture
b) capable
c) cabbage
d) capital
Show answer
b) capable. Only capable has both a p and a b: capital and capture lack the b, and cabbage lacks the p.
Word Connection
Choose the synonym of the word:
capable
a) competent
b) helpless
c) nervous
d) careless
Show answer
a) competent. Someone competent can do a job properly, which is the sense of the word given.
Word Cookie
Find the misspelt word in the sentence:
Our coach says that every cappable player must practise before breakfast.
a) player
b) practise
c) coach
d) cappable
Show answer
d) cappable. Only one p sits in the middle of this word.
Spell-o-Spell
Choose the correctly spelt word:
a) geniune
b) capable
c) dangerus
d) seperate
Show answer
b) capable. Genuine ends in ine, separate has an a after the p, and dangerous ends in ous.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Which child is shown to be capable in the kitchen?
a) Neha, who forgets what she came in to fetch
b) Ravi, who waits outside until lunch is ready
c) Arjun, who eats whatever is left on the table
d) Asha, who cooks a full lunch without help
Show answer
d) Asha, who cooks a full lunch without help
2. When we say a job is in capable hands, the person doing it is ____.
a) rich and famous
b) young and small
c) sensible and reliable
d) tired and hungry
Show answer
c) sensible and reliable
