A developed ability to perform a particular skill competently and reliably.
Reach for it when describing demonstrated skill while leaving room for growth beyond competence
Daily conversation helped her gain proficiency in the regional language.
| playful | |
|---|---|
| everyday | |
| professional |
|
| formal | |
| literary |
playful
Fits when practical understanding should sound informal
Careful Its casual register is wrong for certification or careful assessment.
everyday
Fits when learned ability is the broad idea
Careful A person can possess one useful skill without overall proficiency in the activity.
professional
Fits when ability to complete the task is the useful fact
Careful Capability may be potential rather than demonstrated proficiency.
professional
competence
Fits when someone meets the required standard
Careful Competence may be adequate rather than the developed ease of proficiency.
professional
Fits when specialist knowledge and judgment are established
Careful Expertise usually exceeds basic proficiency and may be narrow.
professional
fluency
Fits when smooth ready performance matters, especially in language
Careful Fluency can hide errors and does not fit every technical skill.
formal
Fits when command is comprehensive and exceptionally strong
Careful Mastery is a much higher claim and can imply no meaningful room to improve.
literary
facility
Fits when a task is performed with apparent ease
Careful Ease can come from familiarity without accuracy or depth.
gain proficiency
Learners gain proficiency through varied practice and useful correction.
technical proficiency
Her technical proficiency let her diagnose the pump without replacing sound parts.
level of proficiency
The practical test measures the level of proficiency needed for independent work.
Definitions and examples are written for this site. How words are chosen Recording: Vininn126, American accent, from Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 Updated
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