responsible for what

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "responsible for what" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it when asking for clarification about the specific duties or obligations someone has. Example: "Can you clarify what you are responsible for?" Alternative expressions include "accountable for what" and "liable for what."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Who's responsible for what?

Harvard Business Review

"Those who were responsible for what happened".

The New Yorker

I was responsible for what happened.

The New York Times

"You are not responsible for what happened.

Independent

Who is responsible for what?

Harvard Business Review

"I'm responsible for what happened," he said.

The Economist

Are we responsible for what we believe?

The Guardian - Opinion

I hold her responsible for what happened".

The Guardian - Sport

"You are responsible for what people hear".

The New Yorker

Broadcasters are responsible for what they broadcast, and audiences are responsible for what they consume".

The Guardian

"The city is responsible for what happened here".

Independent

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Pair with the interrogative 'who' to create clear, actionable questions in business communications

Common error

Do not use 'responsible of what'. While 'responsibility of' is correct for possessive nouns, the adjective 'responsible' must always be followed by the preposition 'for' when indicating the scope of duty.

Linguistic Context

In the phrase "responsible for what", the adjective responsible is followed by a prepositional phrase introduced by for. This construction typically functions as a subject complement or part of a relative clause. According to Ludwig, this phrase frequently helps define the scope of agency within a sentence, often appearing in interrogative or clarification contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

75%

Formal & Business

15%

Academia

10%

Less common in

Science

5%

Social Media

3%

Wiki

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "responsible for what" is a cornerstone of clear English communication regarding roles and outcomes. Ludwig AI data indicates that it is a highly reliable construction used by the world's most prestigious publications to discuss everything from corporate structure to moral philosophy. It is grammatically robust and functions effectively in both formal reports and everyday dialogue. By following the best practices of pairing it with direct verbs and avoiding the common 'of' preposition error, writers can ensure their assignments of accountability are both precise and professional. Whether you are defining project milestones or analyzing historical events, this phrase provides the necessary linguistic framework to connect agents to their specific actions.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

accountable for what

Implies a more formal requirement to justify actions or results

held responsible for what

Uses a passive structure to emphasize the external imposition of consequences

liable for what

Carries a stronger legal or financial connotation of responsibility

in charge of what

Shifts the focus toward leadership and direct management of a task

answerable for what

Highlights the obligation to provide explanations to an authority

responsible for which parts

Specifies a division of labor within a larger project or entity

tasked with what

Focuses on the specific assignment rather than the moral or legal duty

to blame for what

More informal and specifically focuses on fault or negative outcomes

duty-bound for what

Adds a sense of moral or ethical obligation to the accountability

burdened with what

Suggests that the responsibility is heavy or unwanted

FAQs

How to use "responsible for what" in a sentence?

You can use it to define roles, such as in "The team needs to decide who is <a href="/s/responsible+for+what" target="_blank" rel="alternative">responsible for what aspect of the project".

What can I say instead of "responsible for what"?

Depending on the context, you might use "<a href="/s/accountable+for+what" target="_blank" rel="alternative">accountable for what", "<a href="/s/liable+for+what" target="_blank" rel="alternative">liable for what" or "<a href="/s/tasked+with+what" target="_blank" rel="alternative">tasked with what".

Is it "responsible for what" or "responsible for which"?

Both are correct. Use "<a href="/s/responsible+for+what" target="_blank" rel="alternative">responsible for what" for general duties and "<a href="/s/responsible+for+which" target="_blank" rel="alternative">responsible for which" when choosing from a specific, limited set of options.

What's the difference between "responsible for what" and "accountable for what"?

While often used interchangeably, "<a href="/s/accountable+for+what" target="_blank" rel="alternative">accountable for what" implies a formal obligation to report on results, whereas "responsible for what" focuses on the duty to perform the task itself.