What does inability mean?
Word: Inability
Part of Speech: Noun
Meaning: Inability means not being able to do something.
Synonyms: incapacity
Antonyms: ability
How do you spell inability?
Syllables: in - a - bil - i - ty
Tricky part: Say all five beats, in-a-bil-i-ty, because the i before ty is often dropped.
Watch out for: inabilty, inibility, inabiltiy
Memory tip: Clap the five beats, in-a-bil-i-ty: the fourth clap is the i that children leave out.
Inability in a sentence
Example 1: His inability to swim kept him on the shore while the others played in the water.
Example 2: The shopkeeper apologised for his inability to give change for a big note.
Example 3: Her inability to sit still made the long train ride feel even longer.
Fun Fact
Ability comes from the Latin habilis, meaning handy or easy to hold, and the same root gives us the word able.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Makeup
Choose the prefix that completes the word:
ability
a) en
b) un
c) im
d) in
Show answer
d) in. Ability takes in to mean not able; un goes with able itself, as in unable.
Word Connection
Choose the synonym of the word:
inability
a) kindness
b) helplessness
c) readiness
d) cleverness
Show answer
b) helplessness. Helplessness means not being able to help yourself, which is close to inability.
Word Cookie
Find the extra letter in the word:
inabillity
a) i
b) t
c) l
d) b
Show answer
c) l. Ability has just one l, between bi and ity.
Spell-o-Spell
Choose the correctly spelt word:
a) inability
b) curiosety
c) activety
d) posibility
Show answer
a) inability. Possibility, activity and curiosity each have a letter wrong or missing, so inability is right.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Pick the sentence where inability is used well.
a) Her inability of the shelf was painted a bright blue.
b) She inability reached up and took the top book down.
c) The inability shelf in our kitchen holds all the spices.
d) Her inability to reach the top shelf meant she needed a stool.
Show answer
d) Her inability to reach the top shelf meant she needed a stool.
2. Oscar's inability to whistle makes his friends laugh. What is true about Oscar?
a) He whistles all day long.
b) He will not whistle.
c) He cannot whistle.
d) He whistles too loudly.
Show answer
c) He cannot whistle.
