What's the main difference between: I was charged with and I was in charge of?
Be charged with – means to be responsible, be in the command or in the control of something.
Apparently, they seem to perform the same function. Nevertheless, I presume "Be in charge of something" is used when the object is a noun –
- I am in charge of the work
Whereas "Be charged with something" is used when the object is a verb (which is always followed by -ING)
As you can see in here: charge – Cambridge
- I am charged with supervising the kitchen
Best Answer
Bot can be used with either a noun or a verb. I would say the main differences are meaning/connotation and frequency.
"I am charged with" has more of a sense of delegation. It implies pretty strongly that there is a superior who "charged" you with a task. As Edwin Ashworth said, it is not a very common expression nowadays.
"I am in charge of" doesn't usually imply this. In fact, the expression "(be) in charge" is often used to describe people at the very top of the hierarchy, and can be used without any object, as in "She is the person in charge around here."