be responsible for
fixed phrase.fixed phrase. to have the duty of taking care of something or someone; also, to be the cause of something happening.
fixed phrase. to have control over or care of something as a duty; additionally, to be the primary cause or agent of a specific outcome. The phrase functions as an adjective phrase following the copula 'be'.
You are responsible for keeping your room clean.
As the project manager, she is responsible for making sure the team meets every deadline.
The heavy rainfall was largely responsible for the sudden collapse of the ancient stone bridge.
always followed by the preposition 'for' and a noun or a gerund (-ing form).
distinguish between the 'duty' sense and the 'cause' sense; learners often forget that 'responsible' can describe the reason for a negative event without implying a moral duty.
He is responsible of the marketing department.He is responsible for the marketing department.the adjective 'responsible' collocations with the preposition 'for', not 'of'.
Last updated July 26, 2026