Question

既可作可数名词又可作不可数名词的使用

我在牛津高阶英汉双解词典中看到单词ability既可作可数名词又可作不可数名词，并没有详细说明如何区分该词可数与不可数？以下是词典中的例句看的有点云里雾里。还请高手答疑解惑！

Almost everyone has some musical ability.

He was a man of extraordinary abilities.

students of mixed abilities

A woman of her ability will easily find a job.

I try to do my job to the best of my ability(= as well as I can) .
希望有专业的回答！

Answer 1

I take care of them to the best of my abilities。此句中的ability是可数名词。因为它以复数形式出现。They tackled them to the best of their ability.此句中的ability是不可数名词。

Answer 2

作可数名词的是确指一种或几种某些方面的能力 如extraordinary abilities 等

作不可数名词， 泛指能力，人是否有能这样做的能力， 如my ability

追问

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

They tackled them to the best of their ability.
这两个例句中ability是可数的吗？

还有您之前说的：作可数名词的是确指一种或几种某些方面的能力 ，这句话是不是病句啊，怎么看不懂？

追答

作可数名词的是确指一种（单数）或几种某些方面的能力（复数）
I try to do my job to the best of my ability(= as well as I can)此处泛指能力的极限
I take care of them to the best of my abilities。此处指用各种方法照顾好他们，比如说用各种办法哄小孩