Choose the most suitable option to replace the highlighted part of the sentence:
She has the reputation to be a kind woman.
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: B
Explanation
The correct answer is option 2 i.e. of being a kind woman.
Error Concept: Related to preposition usage with specific nouns.
What is wrong: The phrase “reputation to be” is grammatically incorrect. The noun “reputation” does not take the infinitive “to be” after it.
Grammar Concept:
Certain nouns such as “reputation,” “accused,” “charge,” “fear,” etc., are followed by the preposition “of” when referring to a quality, habit, or characteristic.The correct preposition to use with “reputation” is “of.”
Incorrectness of the concept in context: Using “to be” after “reputation” makes the sentence ungrammatical and unnatural because the phrase should describe the quality of the person, not an action.
Correction: Replace “to be” with “of being.”
Corrected phrase: of being a kind woman.
Final sentence: She has the reputation of being a kind woman.
Hence, the chosen option is correct.