Responsibility vs The duty of this council

When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.

Responsibility

Top 1,000 (very common)B1noun

The duty of this council

Top 2,000 (common)
Most common: Responsibility
 ResponsibilityThe duty of this council
Pronunciation🇬🇧 /["/rɪˌspɒnsəˈbɪləti/"]/🇺🇸 /["/rɪˌspɑːnsəˈbɪləti/"]/🇬🇧 //ðə ˈdjuːti ʌv ðɪs ˈkaʊnsl//🇺🇸 //ðə ˈduːti ʌv ðɪs ˈkaʊnsl//
MeaningBeing in charge of something you must take care of.What this council is responsible for doing.
ExampleTaking care of your pet is a big responsibility.The duty of this council is to ensure the community's safety.
RegisterNeutralNeutral
How commonTop 1,000 (very common)Top 2,000 (common)
CEFR levelB1-
Part of speechnoun
Collocationscomplete, full, total, have, accept, acknowledge, fall on somebody, fall to somebody, lie with somebody, responsibility for, responsibility towards/​toward, the age of criminal responsibility, the burden of responsibility, do something on your own responsibility, complete, full, total, have, accept, acknowledge, fall on somebody, fall to somebody, lie with somebody, responsibility for, responsibility towards/​toward, the age of criminal responsibility, the burden of responsibility, do something on your own responsibility, heavy, major, onerous, have, carry out, discharge, responsibility for, responsibility to, responsibility towards/​toward, duties and responsibilities, rights and responsibilitiesfulfill a duty, discuss duties, assign duties, take on duties, recognize duty
Antonymsirresponsibility, neglect, carelessness-
Common mistakesSaying 'responsibility to' instead of 'responsibility for'., Confusing 'responsibility' with 'responsible'., Using it in singular form incorrectly in plural contexts.Confusing 'duty' with 'right', Using 'the duty on this council' instead of 'of', Omitting 'the' before 'duty'
Usage notesUse in situations where someone has duties or obligations. It fits well in both personal and professional contexts. Avoid using it in very casual conversations.Used in formal contexts to discuss responsibilities or obligations. Avoid in casual conversations.

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Responsibility
The duty of this council

Frequently asked questions: Responsibility vs The duty of this council

What's the difference between Responsibility and The duty of this council?

Responsibility: Being in charge of something you must take care of. The duty of this council: What this council is responsible for doing.

Which is more common: Responsibility and The duty of this council?

Responsibility is the most common in everyday English.

Can you show an example of each?

Responsibility: Taking care of your pet is a big responsibility. The duty of this council: The duty of this council is to ensure the community's safety.

Can I use Responsibility and The duty of this council interchangeably?

Not always. Responsibility and The duty of this council are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.

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