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'Reputation' or 'A reputation'? 'It takes a lifetime to build a reputation.'



 
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ESL Forums | English Vocabulary, Grammar and Idioms
How to mention a day with the date? | Participle: Why there are no 'is' after 1. 'it' and 2. 'as'?
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'Reputation' or 'A reputation'? 'It takes a lifetime to build a reputation.' #1 (permalink) Sat Jan 27, 2007 21:01 pm   'Reputation' or 'A reputation'? 'It takes a lifetime to build a reputation.'
 

Hi

Could you please tell me if the red 'a' in the following sentence is required or not? Any other suggestions would be greatly appreciated! Very Happy

'It takes a lifetime to build a reputation and a second to break it.'


Tom
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'Reputation' or 'A reputation'? 'It takes a lifetime to build a reputation.' #2 (permalink) Sat Jan 27, 2007 22:16 pm   'Reputation' or 'A reputation'? 'It takes a lifetime to build a reputation.'
 

Hi Tom

You should use 'a' and also add 'good' since a reputation can be bad just as easily as it can be good. Instead of 'break' I might use 'destroy':

"It takes a lifetime to build a good reputation and a second to destroy it."

Amy
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'Reputation' or 'A reputation'? 'It takes a lifetime to build a reputation.' #3 (permalink) Sun Jan 28, 2007 12:58 pm   'Reputation' or 'A reputation'? 'It takes a lifetime to build a reputation.'
 

In a sentence like that, it's clear that people are talking about a good reputation, so frequently we don't use the word "good" in such a context. I have seen the idiom "to break someone's reputation" many times, and I don't have a problem with it.

You do need the article, though.
Jamie (K)
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How to mention a day with the date? | Participle: Why there are no 'is' after 1. 'it' and 2. 'as'?
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