The flexural-gravity wave responses due to a load steadily moving or suddenly accelerated along a rectilinear orbit are analytically studied within the framework of the linear potential theory. A thin viscoelastic plate model is used for a very large floating structure. The initially quiescent fluid in the ocean is assumed to be homogenous, incompressible, and inviscid, and the disturbed motion be irrotational. A moving line source on the plate surface is considered as a moving point in the two-dimensional coordinates. Under the assumptions of small-amplitude wave motion and small plate deflection, a linear fluid-plate coupling model is established. The integral solutions for the surface deflections and the wave resistances are analytically obtained by the Fourier transform method. To study the dynamic characteristics of the flexural-gravity wave response, the asymptotic representations of the wave resistances are derived by the residue theorem and the methods of stationary phase. It shows that the steady wave resistance is zero when the speed of moving load is less than the minimal phase speed. The wave resistances due to the accelerate motion consist of two parts, namely the steady and transient wave responses. Eventually the transient wave resistance declines toward zero and the wave resistance approaches the steady component as the time goes to the infinity. Furthermore, the effect of the strain relaxation time for this viscoelastic plate is studied and it exhibits more influence for a high-speed motion. The flexural-gravity wave responses due to a load steadily moving or suddenly accelerated along a rectilinear orbit are analytically studied within the framework of the linear potential theory. A thin viscoelastic plate model is used for a very large floating structure. The initial quiescent fluid in the ocean is assumed to be homogenous, incompressible, and inviscid, and the disturbed motion be irrotational. A moving line source on the plate surface is considered as a moving point in the two-dimensional coordinates. Under the assumptions of small-amplitude wave motion and small plate deflection, a linear fluid-plate coupling model is established. The integral solutions for the surface deflections and the wave resistances are analytically obtained by the Fourier transform method. To study the dynamic characteristics of the flexural-gravity wave response, the asymptotic representations of the wave resistances are derived by the residue theorem and the methods of stationary phase. It s hows that the steady wave resistance is zero when the speed of moving load is less than the minimal phase speed. The wave resistances due to the accelerate motion resistance of two parts, namely the steady and transient wave responses. zero and the wave resistance approaches the steady component as the time goes to the infinity. Furthermore, the effect of the strain relaxation time for this viscoelastic plate is studied and it exhibits more influence for a high-speed motion.