1 to the best of one’s ability中的ability可用复数吗

You will be expected to perform your duties to the best of your ______.

A. abilities   B. ability

选 B 肯定是对的。但是选 A 也可以吗?


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最佳答案 2017-06-19 08:22

【答】两者都对。

to the best of ...... 这个短语,表示“达到......最佳状态”。

1. to 表示“达到”。

2. the best 是“the + 最高级”,具有名词用法。

3. of 后面的成分,多指“人的能力,潜能,知识面,信任度,记忆力,力量”等方面,之前常有one’s 修饰。

4. 如果是可数名词,也可以用复数。例如你的句子单复数都对,复数表示你的多种能力:

You will be expected to perform your duties to the best of your ability.

You will be expected to perform your duties to the best of your abilities.

第二句表示:“调动你的各种能力;尽你最大努力;竭尽你的全力”。

以下是来自《柯林斯词典》的例句:

I take care of them to the best of my abilities.  我尽我所能地照顾他们。

【常见搭配】

to the best of my knowledge    据我所知

to the best of my ability    尽我所能

to the best of one's abilities    尽最大努力

to the best of his potential    尽他所能

to the best of my belief    我深信 (在我看来)

to the best of my memory    根据我的记忆

to the best of my power    竭尽我所能 (就我能力所及)

 


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其它 3 个回答

曹荣禄  
擅长:动词用法,句法问题

to the best of one's ability是固定用法,不能用复数形式。类似的结构还有:

to my knowledge

to the best of my knowledge/belief

补充

我百度了一下,《有道词典》列举了很多to the best of my abilities的例句。看来确实这个短语的ability有用复数的。请选择刘老师的解答。

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陈才   - 英语教师
擅长:中考英语,词法问题

同意刘老师解答

A:to the best of one's ability(不可数名词,表示一种整体,抽象概念上能力)

I feel the personal satisfaction comes from doing work to the best of one's ability.  

我感到个人的满足感来自于尽力做好每项工作.

They tackled them to the best of their ability.  

他们竭尽全力给予解决。

B:to the best of one's abilities(可数名词,表示多方面,多种具体的能力)

I take care of them to the best of my abilities.  

我尽我所能地照顾他们。

Designed safety production administration system to the best of one's abilities conciseness understandability and practicality.  

设计的安全生产管理体系尽量做到简明易懂、实用.



to the best of one's ability=to the best of one's ability:尽…所能地;竭尽全力地

英文解释:If you do something to the best of your abilities or to the best of your ability, you do it as well as you can.

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王汝涛   - 英语教师
擅长:英语翻译,词法问题,英语考试

正如刘老师所分析的,这里的ability用单复数都对。请看Collins Dictionary提供的明确的解释:

If you do something to the best of your abilities or to the best of your ability, you do it as well as you can.

1. I take care of them to the best of my abilities.
2. They tackled them to the best of their ability.

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  • 肖晓英   提出于 2017-06-17 23:53

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