whose duty

USAGE SUMMARY

'whose duty' is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it in a sentence to refer to the responsibility of someone or something. For example, "He is a man whose duty it is to protect the people of his community."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Science

Encyclopedias

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Then whose duty is it?

The New York Times

If not, whose duty is it to make up the difference?".

The Economist

There were sworn packers of tobacco, whose duty it was to brand casks.

Cornell University

A tax has been provided for and there are officers whose duty it is to assess and collect it.

Cornell University

What does the constitution say about whose duty it is here to act in this kind of a situation?

The Washington Post

Elected members remain accountable to the electorate - unlike a private company, whose duty is to its shareholders.

The Guardian

It included a branch he named the fedayeen, or "self-sacrificers", whose duty was to destroy political opponents.

The Guardian - Opinion

We noticed one of the soldiers, whose duty was to protect the army house, had put on a bulletproof vest.

The Guardian

After 136 bars, the curtain rises to reveal three river maidens whose duty is to guard the Rhine gold.

The Guardian - Arts

Beg? Behind each doctor — whose primary duty is to one patient — there is a government public health bureaucracy, whose duty is to protect the whole country.

The New York Times

As a further safeguard against abuses, Akbar reorganized the existing network of newswriters, whose duty it was to send regular reports of important events to the emperor.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

To improve readability in complex sentences consider rephrasing sentences to make the subject of "whose duty" apparent.

Common error

Avoid confusing "whose" (possessive) with "who's" (who is). For example, "the employee who's duty is to manage accounts" is incorrect; it should be "the employee "whose duty" is to manage accounts".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "whose duty" functions as a possessive determiner followed by a noun. It modifies a noun to indicate ownership or responsibility. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and usability across various contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

45%

Academia

20%

Wiki

15%

Less common in

Science

10%

Encyclopedias

5%

Formal & Business

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "whose duty" is a grammatically correct and frequently used phrase to indicate responsibility or obligation. According to Ludwig AI, the phrase is suitable for various contexts, from news and media to academia and formal writing. It's crucial to avoid confusing "whose" with "who's". Always ensure the possessive pronoun "whose" is used correctly to assign responsibilities. Ludwig's examples from authoritative sources highlight its wide applicability and acceptance in standard English, making it a reliable choice for expressing roles and obligations.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

whose responsibility

Replaces "duty" with "responsibility", offering a slightly more formal tone.

whose obligation

Substitutes "duty" with "obligation", emphasizing a legal or moral requirement.

whose task

Replaces "duty" with "task", focusing on a specific assignment.

whose job

Substitutes "duty" with "job", making the phrase more informal.

who is responsible for

Rephrases the sentence to highlight the person responsible.

who is in charge of

Emphasizes authority and control over a particular duty.

who is tasked with

Focuses on the assignment of a specific task or duty.

under whose purview

Indicates that something falls within someone's area of responsibility or authority, more formal.

whose concern is

Shifts the focus to the area of concern or responsibility.

whose role it is

Highlights the designated role associated with the duty.

FAQs

How can I use "whose duty" in a sentence?

Use "whose duty" to indicate the responsibility or obligation belonging to someone or something. For instance, "the officer "whose duty" it is to patrol the area" or "a system "whose duty is to monitor" the environment".

What are some alternatives to "whose duty"?

You can use alternatives such as "whose responsibility", "whose obligation", or "who is responsible for", depending on the context.

Is "whose duty" formal or informal?

"Whose duty" is suitable for both formal and neutral contexts. The level of formality depends more on the surrounding vocabulary and sentence structure rather than the phrase itself. The examples found by Ludwig demonstrate the versatility of the expression.

What's the difference between "whose duty" and "who's duty"?

"Whose duty" indicates possession or belonging, referring to the duty that belongs to someone or something. "Who's duty" (using "who's", which is a contraction of "who is") is grammatically incorrect in this context. Always use "whose" to show possession.