sole duty

USAGE SUMMARY

"sole duty" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when referring to a singular responsibility, task, or obligation. Example: His sole duty was to ensure the safety of the passengers.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

22 human-written examples

That was my sole duty.

The New York Times

Finally, an employee was assigned the sole duty of spotting empty seats so they could be filled quickly.

The New York Times

The sole duty of every member of Parliament is to do what he or she thinks is right," Bercow said.

The Washington Post

Its sole duty is to monitor and, if necessary, reduce Medicare spending, which needs to be reined in to control deficits.

The New York Times

"It would be completely impractical if you had robots with a sole duty to rescue soldiers, because they would spend most of their time unused," he says.

The Economist

The sole duty of every Member of Parliament is to do what he or she thinks is right". May was not there.

The New Yorker

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

38 human-written examples

Additionally, it is often the sole responsibility of the driver(s) on duty to remember on the go which customers have radioed requesting pickups, while simultaneously completing pickups already on their route.

WikiHow

I didn't ponder whether shareholder wealth should be the sole fiduciary duty of top management.

Harvard Business Review

Perhaps this is my life's, my writing's sole, true duty: to delineate the course of this disintegration".

The New Yorker

But the bill does not once refer to equity and the sole public duty of a foundation trust is to exercise its func tions "efficiently, effectively and economically".

The Guardian

They decided the aggregates levy (a £2-a-tonne tax on quarrying) stamp duty, air passenger duty and landfill tax should all be devolved, and the Welsh government should have sole responsibility for business rates.

BBC

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "sole duty" to clearly define a person's or entity's singular responsibility, avoiding ambiguity about who is accountable.

Common error

Avoid using "sole duty" when multiple parties share the responsibility. If the duty is distributed, use phrases like "primary duty" or "shared responsibility" instead.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "sole duty" functions primarily as a noun phrase, typically serving as a subject complement or an object of a preposition. It identifies and emphasizes a singular, exclusive responsibility. This is supported by Ludwig's examples, which demonstrate its use in defining roles and obligations.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

44%

Academia

16%

Wiki

8%

Less common in

Science

12%

Formal & Business

8%

Encyclopedias

4%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "sole duty" is a grammatically sound and commonly used phrase to denote a singular, exclusive responsibility. Ludwig AI confirms its correct usage. It is most frequently found in News & Media and Academic contexts. When using this phrase, ensure that the responsibility truly belongs to one entity alone, and that no ambiguity exists. Consider alternatives like "exclusive responsibility" or "only obligation" for nuanced emphasis. This phrase helps to clearly establish accountability in various settings.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

single duty

Highlights that this is the only duty that one has.

exclusive responsibility

Emphasizes that the duty belongs to one person or entity alone.

only obligation

Highlights that there are no other duties besides the one specified.

singular task

Focuses on the duty as a specific, individual task.

prime responsibility

Indicates the duty is the most important or significant one.

main obligation

Stresses the duty is the principal or chief one.

chief responsibility

Implies the duty is the leading or governing one.

fundamental obligation

Emphasizes the basic and essential nature of the duty.

core responsibility

Suggests the duty is at the very heart of someone's role.

exclusive task

Highlights the duty as the only specific task that belongs to one person or entity.

FAQs

How can I effectively use "sole duty" in a sentence?

Use "sole duty" to emphasize that a specific responsibility belongs exclusively to one person or entity. For example, "The CEO's "prime responsibility" is to ensure the company's financial stability."

What are some alternatives to "sole duty"?

You can use alternatives like "exclusive responsibility", "only obligation", or "chief responsibility" depending on the specific context.

Is it correct to say "the sole duties" instead of "sole duty"?

No, "the sole duties" implies multiple duties, which contradicts the meaning of "sole." Use "sole duty" when referring to a single, exclusive responsibility. If there are multiple exclusive duties, rephrase for clarity, such as "each employee's "unique duty"".

What's the difference between "sole duty" and "primary duty"?

"Sole duty" indicates an exclusive responsibility, while "primary duty" suggests the most important duty among others. The "main obligation" might be one of several, but the "sole duty" is the only one assigned.