noun phrase · formal
sole custody
UK/səʊl ˈkʌstədi/US/soʊl ˈkʌstədi/sole CUS·to·dy
the legal right for one parent alone to have custody of a child
Examples
“After the divorce, the mother was granted sole custody of the children.”
“Sole custody usually means the child lives primarily with one parent.”
“Fathers sometimes fight for sole custody if they can prove better living conditions.”
Band 8 sentence
“Given the father's unstable work schedule, the court decided to award the mother sole custody.”
Collocations
- be granted sole custody
- have sole custody of
Word family
Common mistakes
single custody→sole custody
have custody to→have custody of
Say it for a higher band
5take care of the child→6have custody→7+sole custody
Synonyms
full custody
Easily confused
joint custody
“They agreed on joint custody to share responsibilities.”
Related words
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In Family & Relationships
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