Informal semantics aresponsive predicate is an embedding predicate which can take either adeclarative or aninterrogativecomplement. For instance, theEnglishverbknow is responsive as shown by the following examples.^[1][2][3]

1. Bill knows whether Mary left.
2. Bill knows that Mary left.

Responsives are contrasted withrogatives such aswonder which can only take an interrogative complement andanti-rogatives such asbelieve which can only take a declarative complement.

1. Bill wonders whether Mary left.
2. *Bill wonders that Mary left.
3. *Bill believes whether Mary left.
4. Bill believes that Mary left.

Some analyses have derived these distinctions fromtype compatibility while others explain them in terms of particular properties of the embedding verbs and their complements.

• Embedded clause
• Propositional attitude
• Inquisitive semantics
• Interrogative clause
• Question

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