at a responsibility

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "at a responsibility" is not correct and does not convey a clear meaning in written English.
It is not a standard expression and may confuse readers. Example: "He was placed at a responsibility that he was not prepared for."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Wiki

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

I think he sees it as at a responsibility to the party because he's speaker of the House.

The Guardian

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

Look at adminship as a responsibility, not a trophy.

WikiHow

Everyone at Harvard has a responsibility for proper handling and protection of confidential information.

Harvard University

It discharged a debt to my tutor at Harvard and a responsibility that we all have to the future.

Harvard Business Review

One includes you, Mr Speaker, admonishing somebody who appears at the bar, a responsibility I know you would discharge with aplomb.

The Guardian

He resigned in January 1992 because of a new rule that required him to teach at the school, a responsibility he did not want to take on.

Wikipedia

Those enjoying the benefits at one end have a responsibility to ensure they are also being felt at the other.

The Guardian

Journalists have a responsibility at a time like this.

The Guardian - Opinion

At Christmas, you have a responsibility.

The Guardian

Still, some senators blanched at being handed such a responsibility.

The New York Times

And now, because I was able to slip past, I have a responsibility at all times.

The New York Times - Arts

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using the phrase "at a responsibility". Instead, use grammatically correct alternatives like "with a responsibility" or "in a position of responsibility" to clearly convey your intended meaning.

Common error

A common mistake is using the incorrect preposition with "responsibility". "At a responsibility" is not idiomatic. Always check if your preposition choice accurately reflects the relationship you want to express. Consider "with", "for", or "of" depending on the context. For instance, "He was entrusted with a great responsibility" is correct.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "at a responsibility" functions as a prepositional phrase, but is grammatically incorrect. As Ludwig AI suggests, this construction is not standard English. The correct usage involves prepositions like "with", "for", or "of" to properly connect "responsibility" to other elements in a sentence.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Wiki

33%

Academia

33%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "at a responsibility" is grammatically incorrect and should be avoided. As Ludwig AI clearly states, this phrase is not standard English. Instead, opt for phrases like "with a responsibility", "in a position of responsibility", or use prepositions such as "for" or "of" depending on the context to express duties or obligations correctly. Using correct prepositions ensures clarity and maintains grammatical accuracy in your writing, making it suitable for diverse contexts.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

with a responsibility

Replaces "at" with "with" to create a grammatically correct prepositional phrase.

bearing a responsibility

Uses the verb "bearing" to indicate the act of carrying or holding a responsibility.

in a position of responsibility

Specifies that someone holds a role or rank where responsibility is expected.

tasked with responsibility

Emphasizes being assigned or given a specific responsibility.

entrusted with responsibility

Highlights the aspect of being trusted to handle a particular responsibility.

held accountable

Focuses on the aspect of being answerable for actions and outcomes.

tasked to

Simple variation that focus on being tasked of doing something.

given the duty

Uses the noun 'duty' instead of 'responsibility'.

burdened with accountability

Emphasizes the burden of responsibility and the associated need to be accountable.

charged to

Implies an official assignment to do something.

FAQs

What are some correct alternatives to "at a responsibility"?

Instead of "at a responsibility", you can use phrases like "with a responsibility", "in a position of responsibility", or "bearing a responsibility".

Is "at a responsibility" grammatically correct?

No, "at a responsibility" is not grammatically correct in standard English. The correct prepositions to use with "responsibility" are typically "with", "for", or "of".

How can I use "responsibility" correctly in a sentence?

Use "responsibility" with appropriate prepositions like "responsibility for" (e.g., "He has responsibility for the project"), "responsibility of" (e.g., "The responsibility of leadership"), or "with responsibility" (e.g., "He handled the task with responsibility").

What's the difference between "responsibility for" and "responsibility of"?

"Responsibility for" usually indicates a specific task or duty that someone is accountable for (e.g., "She has the responsibility for managing the budget"). "Responsibility of" generally refers to a more general duty or obligation associated with a role or position (e.g., "The responsibility of a teacher is to educate students").