a few responsibilities

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a few responsibilities" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when you are discussing a task or a duty that only involves a few actions. For example, you could say: "I have a few responsibilities that I must take care of before the day ends."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

6 human-written examples

He had gained a few responsibilities, and lost others.

The New Yorker

As well as the expected - producing financial statements and strategic financial planning - there are a few responsibilities graduates might not associate with finance: systems management that takes an understanding of legal requirements, or identifying and pursuing opportunities for business expansion.

The Guardian

If the idea is to kill off the local authority once and for all, or rather leave councils with a few responsibilities such as admissions, special needs and safeguarding, that could be done by removing some local authority duties and setting up a new middle tier.

The Guardian

See if a boss can cover a few responsibilities, if a coworker can take notes for you at meetings so that you don't need to attend, if direct reports can take on more of the day-to-day tasks, or if you can get some contract or temp help.

Harvard Business Review

Instead of choosing a few responsibilities he could delegate, he picked out a handful of responsibilities that had to remain his own contracts, strategy, alliances, the authority to make changes in the style of company management and gave away everything else.

Harvard Business Review

In almost all countries, epidemiological surveillance and environmental monitoring remained together under a single organizational umbrella but in a few responsibilities for environmental health have been divided among different ministries.

BMC Public Health

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

54 human-written examples

In 1866, he attempted to secure the position of Naval Officer at the New York Custom House, a lucrative job with few responsibilities, but was unable to do so.

Wikipedia

Members of the gay community - especially younger men with a high disposable income and few responsibilities - are more likely to be at the heart of the market economy.

The Guardian

That means accepting a few key responsibilities.

Harvard Business Review

You get a few more responsibilities, but I do a lot of them now.

The Guardian

But there are only a few legal responsibilities of citizenship: the obligations to obey the law, pay taxes, and serve on juries.

Princeton University

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing job roles, use "a few responsibilities" to indicate that the role doesn't encompass broad tasks.

Common error

Avoid using "a few responsibilities" when the actual role involves significant duties. This can lead to misrepresentation of the role's importance and scope.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a few responsibilities" functions as a noun phrase that typically serves as an object or complement in a sentence. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and usability. It describes the limited nature of tasks or duties.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

30%

Academia

20%

Less common in

Wiki

5%

Formal & Business

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "a few responsibilities" is a grammatically sound and commonly used expression to denote a limited set of duties or tasks. Ludwig AI validates its correctness and suitability for various contexts. While it's most frequently found in News & Media and Science contexts, it also appears in academic settings. When using the phrase, consider the slight differences in emphasis when compared to alternatives like "several duties" or "some obligations". Be mindful of not overstating or understating the scope of the actual work involved. Ludwig's examples show that it is used across diverse fields indicating it is not necessarily connected with a particular field.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

several duties

Replaces "responsibilities" with "duties", implying a similar set of obligations but potentially more formal.

limited duties

Emphasizes the restricted nature of the duties, similar to "a few".

some obligations

Substitutes "responsibilities" with "obligations", suggesting a stronger sense of commitment or requirement.

minor obligations

Highlights that the obligations are not significant or burdensome.

a handful of tasks

Replaces "responsibilities" with "tasks", implying more specific and actionable items.

certain tasks

Emphasizes specified tasks that needs to be completed.

selected duties

Show duties are hand-picked.

a couple of roles

Shifts the focus to the roles one fulfills, each entailing certain responsibilities.

some accountabilities

Using the word "accountabilities" makes the task more formal.

a number of commitments

The word "commitments" implies that you were assigned for a particular commitment.

FAQs

How can I use "a few responsibilities" in a sentence?

You can use "a few responsibilities" to describe a role or position that has a limited number of duties. For example, "The intern was given "a few responsibilities" to start, such as data entry and filing."

What are some alternatives to saying "a few responsibilities"?

Depending on the context, you can use alternatives like "several duties", "some obligations", or "a handful of tasks".

Is it correct to say "few responsibilities" instead of "a few responsibilities"?

While both are grammatically correct, "a few responsibilities" implies that there are some responsibilities, whereas "few responsibilities" suggests that there are very few, almost negligible, responsibilities. The presence of "a" makes a difference in emphasis.

What's the difference between "a few responsibilities" and "some responsibilities"?

"A few responsibilities" generally implies a smaller number than "some responsibilities". Both indicate a limited amount, but "a few" is more specific in suggesting a very small quantity.