It's time to sign up for classes for the next semester at your university. A classmate asks if you know anything about a certain professor. You've never taken his classes, but you've heard that he dresses and acts a little strange. You say:
He has a reputation for being kind of eccentric.
(someone) has a reputation for (doing something)
"Having a reputation for" something means that a lot of people say that about you.
For example, if a lot of students and colleagues say that a certain teacher is strict, you can say that he "has a reputation for being strict".
Here are some other examples:
He has a reputation for being an asshole.
They have a reputation for great customer service. (You can interpret this as "a reputation for (having) great customer service".)
(someone) is eccentric
An "eccentric" person acts strangely. They don't follow the normal rules of society that other people follow. But an "eccentric" is usually intelligent and well-respected.
Some examples of "eccentric" people in history are:
- Albert Einstein
- Mark Twain
- Lady Gaga
kind of (adjective)
"Kind of" means "a little" or "somewhat". It's often used in spoken English:
I'm kind of shy when it comes to the opposite sex.
It kind of took me by surprise.
The pronunciation of "kind of" sounds like "kinda".
Another phrase with a similar meaning is "somewhat", but "somewhat" is more formal. Use "kind of" for most situations and "somewhat" when discussing academic topics or in writing.
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