Incompetence meaning in English
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Definition
incompetence: inability, inadequacy, ineptitude, incapacity
incompetent: incapable, unable, inept, inadequate
Examples
- "First, I'd like to take the time to apologize for the incompetence of our representatives."
- "Ira : Sounds to me like you're simply incompetent, making wild predictions and promises that you can never realistically honor!"
- "Polly : How about "incompetent" Bob?"
- "Polly : I know what it feels like to work with an incompetent staff, myself."
- "But the problem, Miss DeLune, is that Mr. Marron is incompetent."
- "Caller : What the – incompetent – Ugh!"
Exercise 1
Complete the sentences below to summarise the dialogue you have just listened to!
Bruno is because .
Susie is because .
Bruno is because .
Susie is because .
Complete the sentences below to summarise the dialogue you have just listened to!
Bruno is angry 1 because most journalists are incompetent 2.
Susie is happy 3 because Delavigne appeared in Vague magazine 4.
Bruno is angry 1 because most journalists are incompetent 2.
Susie is happy 3 because Delavigne appeared in Vague magazine 4.
1 angry: This is the correct choice here. Bruno says "It makes me so mad!" when talking about modern standards of journalism. "Mad" is used in the USA to mean "angry" or "furious". In another context, "to be mad" is to be "crazy" or "insane".
1 happy: This is incorrect. Bruno is not "happy", "content", or "pleased" in this conversation.
1 jealous: This is incorrect. Bruno is not "jealous", or "envious" in this conversation.
2 most journalists are incompetent: This is the right answer. Bruno says "they probably didn't even open any of the perfumes! We live in a world where 7.5 journalists out of 10 don't know what they're talking about". This means that he thinks that most journalists are not serious about their work, and do not do their jobs as they should.
2 the journalist gave a balanced review: This is not correct. Susie says "to be fair, the journalist does give a balanced description of each perfume", but bruno strongly disagrees with her, and accuses the journalist of incompetence.
2 Kalvin Krime make the best perfumes: This is not correct. Bruno never suggests that Kalvin Krime perfumes are the best, even though they receive the highest score in this review.
3 happy: "Happy" is the best choice here. Susie says "Aren't you happy? I am!".
3 angry: This is not the right answer. Susie is not "angry", "mad", or "furious" in this conversation.
3 concerned: This is not the right answer. Susie is not "concerned", "troubled", or "worried" in this conversation.
4 Delavigne appeared in Vague magazine: This is the right answer. Susie says "Oh my God, Bruno! Have you seen the article? We're in Vague magazine!". She is excited and happy that the Delavigne Corporation are featured in Vague magazine.
4 Bruno hasn't read the article: This is not the best choice. Susie learns quickly that Bruno has read the article. At the start of the conversation, he tells Susie "Brian showed it to me this morning".
4 Delavigne sales will decrease: This is not the best choice. Neither Susie nor Bruno suggests that sales of Delavigne perfumes will "decrease" or "fall" as a result of this review.
Exercise 2
Fill in the blanks below with the appropriate term. Use the hints to help you!
1. This adjective refers to having no legal authority OR to an absence of strength. Synonyms are "helpless", "incapable", or "unable". This term was used by Bruno in this conversation.
2. This adjective is the opposite of #1, and means "potent", "strong" or "having great force". This term was NOT used in this conversation.
1. This adjective refers to having no legal authority OR to an absence of strength. Synonyms are "helpless", "incapable", or "unable". This term was used by Bruno in this conversation.
"The lawyer was to prevent the client's execution."
2. This adjective is the opposite of #1, and means "potent", "strong" or "having great force". This term was NOT used in this conversation.
"In the US, unions are not as as they were in the 1950s. They have lost a lot of strength and influence."
Fill in the blanks below with the appropriate term. Use the hints to help you!
1. This adjective refers to having no legal authority OR to an absence of strength. Synonyms are "helpless", "incapable", or "unable". This term was used by Bruno in this conversation.
2. This adjective is the opposite of #1, and means "potent", "strong" or "having great force". This term was NOT used in this conversation.
1. This adjective refers to having no legal authority OR to an absence of strength. Synonyms are "helpless", "incapable", or "unable". This term was used by Bruno in this conversation.
"The lawyer was powerless 1 to prevent the client's execution."
2. This adjective is the opposite of #1, and means "potent", "strong" or "having great force". This term was NOT used in this conversation.
"In the US, unions are not as powerful 2 as they were in the 1950s. They have lost a lot of strength and influence."
1 powerless: A "powerless (person)" has no legal authority to act, or in a more general sense, has no capacity to act or produce an effect (lacking power). Examples: "Modern medicine is virtually powerless against cancer", "The contract left the tenant powerless to fight against eviction". In this conversation, Bruno describes the Dulce and Carpaccio families as legally "powerless" to fight against Sylvio Mazerati's takeover. Note that the suffix "-less" often follows nouns to describe the sense of diminishment, absence or reduction: hopeless (without hope), homeless (without a home), humorless (without humor), etc.
2 powerful: The term "powerful" describes somebody or something with strength, ability, or authority. Examples: In the 18th century, Great Britain was one of the most powerful nations in the world, OR Mupert Rudock is a powerful media mogul. This term wasn't used in the conversation, but it is closely related to the term "powerless" used by Bruno to describe the Dulce and Carpaccio families. Note that the suffix "-ful" often follows nouns to express the sense of "fullness" or "having a quality": hopeful (full of hope), tactful (full of tact), meaningful (full of meaning).
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