Use of words Ability, Capability and Skills There has been lot of confusion sometimes on where to use words Ability, Capability and Skills. Sometimes these are used interchangeably. But, there is quite a difference in meaning of these words. Let us have a look: Ability Ability represents an activity which has been completed successfully in past. Capability Capability represents an activity which actor has done it but carries the potential to do it. It refers to futuristic events or activities. Skills Skill is one of the sub task needed to complete an activity. Skill is often looked at more granular level than Ability or Capability. I hope with above explanations, you can use these words appropriately. I purposefully did not include examples because they seem to be misleading based on the context. You are a better judge of context and when to use these words. Good Luck!