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Justyna Jupowicz-Kozak quote

Justyna Jupowicz-Kozak

CEO of Professional Science Editing for Scientists @ prosciediting.com

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what's responsible for

Grammar usage guide and real-world examples

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

32 human-written examples

That's what's responsible for the failure of prohibition.

News & Media

The New Yorker

In short, noon is when you have the most direct sunlight*, and that's what's responsible for heating up the atmosphere.

Quiz: What's responsible for the lousy economy most Americans continue to wallow in? A. Big government, bureaucrats, and the cultural and intellectual elites who back them.

"That's not what's responsible for the dearth of women in the sciences".

Science & Research

Science Magazine

NIH intends to figure out what's responsible for the R01 success gap with some experiments, such as conducting reviews with no identifying information about the applicant.

Science & Research

Science Magazine

But it's hard to know what's responsible for the drop in shootings, or if any problems persist, because the department has so far shared far less information on these incidents than others do.

News & Media

Vice
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Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

28 human-written examples

Hopefully, you've all decided who's doing what and who's responsible for what within the group.

News & Media

Huffington Post

But what person who's responsible for another living creature ever really understands what care entails?

"Rita really knows what she's talking about — who's responsible for attacks, what's a legitimate terrorist organization and what's not".

News & Media

The New Yorker

These two academics are in surprising agreement, though, that the idea of disruption is thrown around too freely, without a clear understanding of what it means, who's responsible for creating it, or what to do about it.

News & Media

Forbes

You know, where one or two people drone on and on, half of the attendees seem to be talking past each other, and at the end no one's sure what's been decided or who's responsible for doing what.

News & Media

TechCrunch
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Expert writing Tips

Best practice

In highly formal academic papers, consider expanding the contraction to "what is responsible for" to maintain a traditional formal tone.

Common error

Avoid using "who's responsible for" when referring to weather patterns, economic shifts or chemical reactions. While "what's responsible for" is versatile, using the personal pronoun "who" implies human intent where none exists.

Antonio Rotolo, PhD - Digital Humanist | Computational Linguist | CEO @Ludwig.guru

Antonio Rotolo, PhD

Digital Humanist | Computational Linguist | CEO @Ludwig.guru

Source & Trust

89%

Authority and reliability

4.8/5

Expert rating

Real-world application tested

Linguistic Context

The phrase "what's responsible for" serves as an interrogative or a relative clause, functioning as a causal inquiry. According to Ludwig AI analysis, it typically acts as the subject of a sentence that seeks to identify the agent or factor behind an effect. It is a contraction of "what is", which is standard in almost all registers of English except the most strictly formal.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

45%

Science

25%

Academia

20%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Wiki

3%

Social Media

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In conclusion, "what's responsible for" is a robust and flexible phrase used to probe the causes of various phenomena. Ludwig AI shows that it is exceptionally common in high-tier journalism and scientific reporting. While it is technically a contraction, its use is widely accepted across most professional and academic fields. It is a neutral alternative to more emotive phrases like "who is to blame", allowing writers to focus on objective causality rather than personal fault. Whether you are analyzing economic trends, medical declines or social shifts, this phrase provides a clear linguistic path to exploring agency and effect.

FAQs

How do I use "what's responsible for" in a sentence?

You can use it to start a question about a cause, such as "what's responsible for the recent surge in prices?" or as part of a statement like "We need to determine what's responsible for this error."

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

You can use alternatives like "what causes", "what accounts for" or "what is behind" depending on the context.

Is "what's responsible for" grammatically correct?

Yes, it is a perfectly correct contraction of "what is responsible for". It is widely used in both news reporting and scientific journalism as seen in Ludwig examples.

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

The main difference lies in the subject: "what's responsible for" refers to things, events or circumstances, while "who's responsible for" specifically refers to people or organizations.

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Source & Trust

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Authority and reliability

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Real-world application tested

Most frequent sentences: