Thursday, 31 October 2013

REPUTABLE or REPUTED?

IELTS SERIES-2

REPUTABLE or REPUTED?
My friend, a learned one, visited UK and US last month. He was looking for a bank in one of the busiest streets of the city.
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He asked a good looking English man “Hello, I’m Naresh Sharma from India. Would you please, help me in locating my bank.”  The Englishman threw a suspicious look at my friend.

“Where is this ... this...this... Bank’s branch?”  My friend continued without identifying the bank’s name.
He usually forgets names when they are more than ever needed. Again there was a strange look from the other side.
My friend struggled to add more to his description “It is a REPUTED international bank. ...I often forget names. Very sorry”
Again the local man intensified his distrustful look “What? Reputed...?”
Suddenly there was a flash in Naresh’s confused eyes “Yes. Now ... I remember. It is Barclays”
“Oh...Barclays! Go around that corner. You will find it opposite to McDonalds” he went away showing the road and also tossing a question “What is the word REPUTED? Did you mean REPUTABLE?”
My friend, on his return, asked about usage of the word ‘reputed’.
I also verified. I also asked my Teacher Mrs. Grass teaching English in a reputable British Foundation.
“Yes.... in most of the countries, especially, in US and UK we make use of ‘REPUTABLE’. We don’t use ‘reputed’, though some of the Dictionaries have included this word”

Further she added “It is OK within your country. But don’t use this in International examinations like IELTS or TOFEL and other interactions abroad.”

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