INDEX:
1. able to do something well
2. very good at doing something
3. good at something because you have experience or training
4. having a natural ability to do something well
5. likely to become good at something
6. good at doing a lot of different things
7. the ability to do something well
8. something that you are especially good at
RELATED WORDS
opposite
↑ BAD AT DOING STH
see also
↑ GOOD AT
↑ CAN/CAN'T
↑ KNOW/NOT KNOW
↑ BEST
↑ BETTER
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1. able to do something well
▷ be good at /biː ˈgʊd æt/ [verb phrase]
to be able to do something well :
▪ When she was at school she was good at art.
▪ She loves her job, and she’s very good at it.
be good at doing something
▪ You’ve never been much good at lying.
▪ Robson is particularly good at dealing with people, and should make an excellent manager.
▷ good /gʊd/ [adjective]
able to do something well :
▪ The school orchestra is surprisingly good.
good singer/player/teacher etc
▪ Frank had always been a good football player, and it was no surprise when he was chosen for the team.
▪ I can refer you to a good dentist.
be good with somebody/something
be good at dealing with someone or something
▪ Mrs. Hill is very good with children.
▪ The two Drew girls are unusually good with animals.
be good with your hands
be good at making or repairing things with your hands
▪ Jeremy’s good with his hands - he built our kitchen cupboards.
▷ proficient /prəˈfɪʃ ə nt/ [adjective] formal
having reached an acceptable standard in something, by learning or practising it :
proficient in
▪ Before you can study at a British university, you have to be proficient in English.
proficient skier/climber/actor etc
▪ The black runs are for proficient skiers only.
proficiency [uncountable noun]
▪ Once children have achieved a certain proficiency in reading, they prefer to read silently rather than aloud.
▷ able /ˈeɪb ə l/ [adjective usually before noun]
good at doing something, especially at doing a difficult or important job that involves a lot of responsibility :
▪ Mrs Thomas is a very able teacher.
▪ She was widely regarded as one of the most able members of the president’s staff.
▷ capable /ˈkeɪpəb ə l/ [adjective]
someone who is capable can be trusted to do a job or piece of work well and without needing other people’s help or advice :
▪ Mr. Young is a very capable attorney.
▪ The team desperately needs a capable quarterback.
▷ competent /ˈkɒmpɪtənt, ˈkɒmpətəntǁˈkɑːm-/ [adjective]
someone who is competent has enough skill and knowledge to be able to do something to a high or satisfactory standard :
▪ Competent skiers should find no difficulty with the course.
▪ Though the country is poor, the doctors and nurses are qualified and competent.
highly competent
very competent
▪ Tomita is a highly competent translator.
competent in
▪ New students are expected to be competent in mathematics.
2. very good at doing something
▷ great /greɪt/ [adjective only before noun]
great actor/player/scientist etc
one of the best actors, players etc in the world, and famous and respected because of this :
▪ Olivier was a great actor.
▪ Some of the world’s greatest athletes will be competing in the Olympic Games.
▪ McEnroe was possibly the greatest tennis player of all time.
the greats [plural noun]
▪ Fitzgerald is one of the all-time jazz greats.
▷ brilliant /ˈbrɪljənt/ [adjective]
extremely clever and skilful at something, so that people admire you a lot :
▪ Have you seen her dance? She’s absolutely brilliant.
▪ Paganini was a brilliant violinist, famous for his technical skill in both playing and composing music.
brilliant at
especially British
▪ She’s brilliant at handling difficult clients.
brilliance [uncountable noun]
▪ Hendrix’s brilliance as a rock guitarist remains unsurpassed, even to this day.
▷ excellent /ˈeks ə lənt/ [adjective usually before noun]
extremely good at something :
▪ Andrew had always been an excellent student.
▪ She’s enthusiastic and hardworking and has the potential to be an excellent teacher.
▷ outstanding /aʊtˈstændɪŋ/ [adjective]
so good at doing something that you are noticeably much better than other people who do the same thing :
▪ Woods is an outstanding golfer.
▪ The book is a series of interviews with outstanding artists and writers.
▪ A lot of my teachers were good, but Farley was outstanding.
3. good at something because you have experience or training
▷ skilful British /skillful American /ˈskɪlf ə l/ [adjective]
someone who is skilful does something very well because they have had a lot of training or experience :
▪ the artist’s skillful use of color
▪ Success in business depends on skilful management.
▪ Skilful and confident, Donaldson should become one of the game’s best players.
▷ skilled /skɪld/ [adjective]
someone who is skilled at a particular job has the training and skill to do it well :
▪ There is a demand for carpenters and other skilled craftsmen.
skilled job/work
requiring special skill, especially when you use your hands
▪ Shoeing a horse is a skilled job, and no unskilled person should try it.
highly skilled
very skilled
▪ Keeping highly skilled sailors in the Navy is a priority.
skilled at doing something
▪ Our advisors are skilled at dealing with financial problems.
▷ expert /ˈekspɜːʳt/ [adjective]
extremely skilful at doing something because you have gained a lot of knowledge or experience of this particular subject or activity over a long period of time :
▪ Students learn to cook French food with the help of expert chefs.
▪ My grandmother was an expert dressmaker.
expert at/in
▪ Politicians are usually expert at turning a crisis to their advantage.
expert help/advice/opinion etc
given by someone who knows a lot about it
▪ Tennis coaches will be available to provide expert advice.
expertly [adverb]
▪ The campaign was well-publicised and expertly co-ordinated.
▷ know what you’re doing /ˌnəʊ wɒt jɔːʳ ˈduːɪŋ/ [verb phrase] spoken
use this to say that someone is good at doing something and you admire and trust them because of this :
▪ Kids can tell if a teacher doesn’t know what he’s doing.
▪ You seem to know what you’re doing -- I’ll leave you to it.
▷ adept /ˈædept, əˈdeptǁəˈdept/ [adjective]
good at doing something that needs care and skill, for example dealing with people or with difficult social situations :
adept at/in
▪ Of all our staff, Peter is the most adept at dealing with difficult customers.
▪ McCrea was equally adept in comedy and drama.
▷ accomplished /əˈkʌmplɪʃtǁəˈkɑːm-, əˈkʌm-/ [adjective]
someone who is very good at writing, acting, or other artistic skills, especially as a result of a lot of practice and training, but who does not usually have a special natural ability for it :
▪ His two daughters are both accomplished athletes.
highly accomplished
▪ Johann Sebastian Bach had three sons who all became highly accomplished musicians and composers.
▷ have a good command of /hæv ə ˌgʊd kəˈmɑːnd ɒvǁ-ˈmænd-/ [verb phrase not in progressive]
to know a subject, especially a language, well and be good at it :
▪ Candidates should have good typing skills and a good command of English.
▪ She has an excellent command of all the facts.
▷ can do something in your sleep /kən ˌduː something ɪn jɔːʳ ˈsliːp/ [verb phrase] informal
to be able to do something very easily because you have done it a lot of times before :
▪ I’ve played this piece so often I can practically do it in my sleep.
4. having a natural ability to do something well
▷ talented /ˈtæləntɪd, ˈtæləntəd/ [adjective]
very good at doing something because you have a lot of natural ability :
▪ The show has talented actors, but the writing is poor.
highly talented
very talented
▪ The Brazilian team includes some highly talented young players.
▪ The musicians are talented and enthusiastic about their new venture.
▷ gifted /ˈgɪftɪd, ˈgɪftəd/ [adjective]
very good at doing something, especially art, music, or sport, because you were born with natural ability :
▪ Picasso was one of the most gifted artists who ever lived.
▪ It’s a difficult subject, even for a writer as gifted as Mathers.
gifted children
▪ Most school systems offer programs for gifted children.
highly gifted
very gifted
▪ He is a highly gifted young singer, who combines a beautiful voice with unusual musical sensitivity.
▷ a natural /ə ˈnætʃ ə rəl/ [singular noun]
someone who has a natural ability to do something and thinks it is easy as soon as they start to do it :
▪ His sense of humor made him a natural for the TV talk shows.
a natural at
▪ McAvoy is a natural at public relations.
natural/natural-born [adjective only before noun]
▪ She is a natural leader.
▪ a natural-born story teller
▷ have an aptitude for /ˌhæv ən ˈæptə̇tjuːd fɔːʳ ǁ-tuːd-/ [verb phrase not in progressive]
to have a natural ability to learn a particular subject or skill very easily and quickly :
▪ The school is for children who have an exceptional aptitude for math and science.
▷ have a gift for /ˌhæv ə ˈgɪft fɔːʳ/ [verb phrase not in progressive]
have a gift for languages/painting/music/dancing etc
have a special natural ability to do something very well, especially something artistic :
▪ Mozart had a gift for music even when he was very young.
▪ As a director, he has a gift for inspiring his actors to give their best performances.
▷ born /bɔːʳn/ [adjective only before noun]
born leader/teacher/writer etc
someone who clearly has a natural ability to lead, teach etc well, so that it seems as if they do not need to be taught how to do it :
▪ When I read his first essays I knew that he was a born writer.
▪ He seemed to be a born leader, someone who inspired confidence and loyalty.
5. likely to become good at something
▷ promising/shows promise /ˈprɒmɪsɪŋ, ˈprɒməsɪŋǁˈprɑː-, ˌʃəʊz ˈprɒmə̇sǁ-ˈprɑː-/ []
someone who is promising or shows promise, especially someone who is young, is good at something and seems likely to become very good and successful at it :
▪ The new England team members show a lot of promise.
promising actor/musician/player etc
▪ Promising researchers are allowed to take time off teaching and administrative duties.
▷ potential /pəˈtenʃ ə l/ [uncountable noun]
natural ability that could be developed so that you become extremely good at something :
▪ Stephen is a player with real potential.
have/show potential
▪ He’s young but he shows a lot of potential.
▪ She may not be a great violinist yet but she has potential.
potential to do/be something
▪ One of their children has the potential to be a brilliant scientist.
▷ have the makings of /ˌhæv ðə ˈmeɪkɪŋz ɒv/ [verb phrase]
to have the qualities or skills needed to become a particular type of person or thing :
▪ They have the makings of a good team this year.
6. good at doing a lot of different things
▷ versatile /ˈvɜːʳsətaɪlǁ-sətl/ [adjective]
good at doing a lot of different things and able to learn new skills quickly and easily :
▪ Meryl Streep is a wonderfully versatile actress.
▪ Few musicians are as versatile as he is: he plays, composes, arranges, and teaches.
▷ all-rounder /ˌɔːl ˈraʊndəʳ/ [countable noun usually singular] British
someone who is good at doing a lot of different things :
▪ We’re looking for a good all-rounder -- someone who can run the office, deal with customers’ complaints, and so on.
▪ At the school, children were encouraged to be ‘all-rounders’ - they were to aim for success in games as well as study.
7. the ability to do something well
▷ skill /skɪl/ [countable/uncountable noun]
the ability to do something well especially because you have learned and practised it :
▪ Most of us learn the knowledge and skills needed to drive a car fairly easily.
▪ The Australians played with great skill and determination.
computer/management/language etc skills
▪ You need good communication skills for this job.
skill in
▪ On the course you will develop skills in business management.
with skill
▪ Price handles the role of the angry wife with great skill.
▷ ability /əˈbɪlɪti, əˈbɪləti/ [uncountable noun]
the ability to do something well, either because you have learned how to do it or because you are naturally good at it :
▪ Maria will be a fine musician; she shows a lot of ability.
ability to do something
▪ No one doubts his ability to get work done quickly.
spelling/reading/writing etc ability
the level of ability in spelling, reading etc
▪ The children are divided into groups according to their reading ability.
▷ talent /ˈtælənt/ [countable/uncountable noun]
a natural ability to do something very well :
▪ John Lennon’s talent as a songwriter was matched by McCartney’s talent as a composer.
have a talent for doing something
▪ Porter has a talent for making a difficult subject understandable and interesting.
talent for
▪ Teachers soon recognized and encouraged his talent for sculpture.
hidden talents
ones that people do not know about
▪ I never knew you were so good at making speeches. Do you have any other hidden talents?
▷ flair /fleəʳ/ [singular/uncountable noun]
a special ability to do something very well and in a way that shows a lot of imagination :
▪ Being a good salesman requires skill, flair, and a good knowledge of your product.
▪ One of the best new players, he shows flair and creativity at the game.
have a flair for something
▪ If you have a flair for languages, there are some good career opportunities in Europe.
▷ have a knack /ˌhæv ə ˈnæk/ [singular noun]
to have a special skill or ability that you usually gain by practice :
have a knack for doing something
▪ She has a knack for making everyone feel comfortable and relaxed.
have a knack for
▪ The family seems to have a knack for success in business.
▷ craftsmanship /ˈkrɑːftsmənʃɪpǁˈkræfts-/ [uncountable noun]
the special skill that someone uses to make something beautiful with their hands :
▪ Hopi baskets are beautiful in both color and craftsmanship.
▪ Fabergé eggs are famous for their intricate craftsmanship.
8. something that you are especially good at
▷ strength /streŋθ, strenθ/ [countable noun]
something that you are particularly good at in your job, in a sport, or in your life in general :
▪ Before choosing a career you should spend time identifying your personal strengths and weaknesses.
▪ His ability to charm people is one of his greatest strengths.
▷ be somebody’s forte /biː somebodyˈs ˈfɔːteɪǁ-ˈfɔːrt/ [verb phrase]
to be the activity that you are best at :
▪ Love songs have become Bolton’s forte.
▪ She’s much better in the longer races. Short distances are not her forte.