A dam did duty as bridge

[bartoszdebski]

I've just encountered a problem concerning these sentences:

a) A dam did duty as a bridge
b) A dam took a role as a bridge?

Are they correct or not? If it requires being corrected, how can I correct them? Any better verb ?

 

[Tarheel]

Try:

The structure served as both a dam and a bridge.

 

[Raymott]

It depends on the context. Are you telling someone about a fact?
"X dam functioned as a bridge." "They used X dam as a bridge."
"A dam did duty" is too alliterative. It sounds silly to me.

 

[probus]

"A dam did duty" is too alliterative. It sounds silly to me.

De gustibus non disputandum est.;-)

To me it was charming. I must have Imagined a different context than you. Lack of context is always a problem.

 

[Skrej]

a) is okay, although I'd expect to hear something like 'The dam did double duty as a bridge' or 'The dam doubled as a bridge'.
b) doesn't work for me.

 

[Tdol]

'The dam doubled as a bridge'.

This sounds more natural to me.