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Grammar fix

earn respect

gain respect

To get other people to admire or value you because of your actions, character, or achievements.

collocationB1common

Hear it in context

Notice where the phrase sounds natural.

  • It takes time to earn respect from your colleagues at a new job.relationships
  • In my opinion, teachers earn respect by being fair and supportive to their students.IELTS speaking

Fix the pattern

Pattern: earn respect (from someone/for something)

WrongHe earned a respect from his team.

RightHe earned the respect of his team.

Uncountable — no 'a'; 'respect OF'.

Patternearn respect (from someone/for something)

Use it right

Choose the version that sounds natural in speech.

Stiff She garnered the esteem of her colleagues.

Natural She earned her colleagues' respect.

'Garnered the esteem' is literary; 'earn respect' is the natural phrase.

Build natural chunks

Words that usually travel with it.

  • earn respect
    the respect oftheirhard-earnedcommand

Don't confuse it

Compare with 'demand respect', which means to ask for respect rather than gaining it naturally.

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