Be Capable Of Doing vs. Capable To Do
Cambridge directly documents capable of something/doing something for having the ability, power, or qualities needed to do something. The documented adjective complement is capable of + noun or -ing form; do not replace the prepositional complement with capable to + infinitive on the basis of meaning alone.
Use be capable of + -ing when the complement names an activity.
Key details
Choose the right form
| Meaning / situation | Construction | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| ability to perform an activity | capable of + -ing | use the documented activity complement |
| ability/quality regarding a thing | capable of + noun | use a noun after “of” |
| capable + to-infinitive | capable to + verb | do not infer this as an equivalent adjective complement |
Quick tests
Capability-complement test
Does the complement name what a person or thing has the ability or capacity to do?
If yes: Use “capable of + noun/-ing.”
If no: Recast the sentence rather than replacing “of” with an infinitive marker.
Caveat: The source-backed adjective pattern is “capable of something/doing something.”
Examples
The device is capable of storing the settings.
The activity follows “of” as an -ing form.
She is capable of careful analysis.
A noun phrase can follow “of.”
The device is capable to store the settings.
Better: The device is capable of storing the settings.
Use “capable of storing” for the documented pattern.
Further guidance
Boundary
The documented adjective complement is capable of + noun or -ing form; do not replace the prepositional complement with capable to + infinitive on the basis of meaning alone.
Construction
Cambridge directly documents capable of something/doing something for having the ability, power, or qualities needed to do something.
Decision
Use be capable of + -ing when the complement names an activity.
Sources and evidence
Sources are shown with the role they play in this guide. Historical or style-sensitive claims are kept within the evidence boundary described above.
- capable of something/doing something (opens in a new tab)Cambridge University Press & Assessment · Preferred lexical authority directly documenting capable of something/doing something.