I've been explained

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase 'I've been explained' is correct and can be used in written English.
It is used to express that someone has been given an explanation by someone else. Example: The professor explained the course material to us, and I've been explained the syllabus as well.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

"…there [are] options presented as hypotheticals, but they [GP's] will always come to a decision and say, look I think we need to do the medication "… (Participant 5) "Well I know they [GPs] used to give antibiotics, but I've been explained by the GP that that's not what they do anymore.

BMC Family Practice

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

For several months I've been explaining my decision to friends, family and work colleagues.

Huffington Post

"I feel like I've been explaining why I'm in a room where apparently people think I'm not supposed to be most of my life, so I know when someone is asking me that question".

Huffington Post

I have been explaining physical, cognitive, and psychosocial processes a whole lot recently.

Huffington Post

As I have been explaining for years, public employees only enjoy "qualified" immunity from liability, not "absolute" immunity.

Huffington Post

"I have been explaining to people the name Thairish comes from the Thai in me and the Irish from [late husband Mike Lyons]," ​café owner Sa-Nguan said.

Vice

However, it still remains the case, as I have been explaining since Obama came to power, that accepting the Uighurs into the U.S. would be the most effective way to break this particular deadlock.

Huffington Post

"I'm quite sure it has been explained by his attorneys," Zagel said.

Huffington Post

Two different methods to derive and use P–I diagrams have been explained.

International Journal of Impact Engineering

This can be attributed to the donor acceptor pair (DAP) luminescence mechanism for I III VI NCs, which has been explained for CIS NCs.

Chemistry of Materials

Some of them I now understand, some of them have been explained.

BBC

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use this phrase when you want to emphasize that someone else provided the explanation to you, rather than you figuring it out yourself.

Common error

Avoid using this phrase when you mean to say you explained something yourself. The phrase "I've been explained" indicates you were the recipient of an explanation, not the giver.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "I've been explained" functions as a passive construction, indicating that the speaker has received an explanation from someone else. It emphasizes the act of receiving clarification, as evidenced by the example found by Ludwig.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

50%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Wiki

0%

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "I've been explained" is a grammatically correct but infrequent passive construction used to indicate that the speaker has received an explanation from someone else. According to Ludwig, it is used to express that someone has been given an explanation by someone else. While it appears across a range of sources, including news, media and science, it is less common than alternative expressions like "it was explained to me" or "I received an explanation". When using this phrase, ensure you are conveying that you were the recipient, not the giver, of the explanation.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

I've been given an explanation

Uses a different verb construction to convey the same meaning.

I've had it explained to me

Adds emphasis to the fact that the explanation was given.

I have received an explanation

Replaces the contraction and uses a more formal tone.

I've received clarification

Uses a synonym for "explained", focusing on the outcome of understanding.

It was explained to me

Shifts the focus to the explanation itself rather than the act of explaining.

The matter was clarified for me

Focuses on the clarification of a specific issue.

I was enlightened

Implies a deeper understanding or revelation.

The details were elucidated to me

Uses a more formal and technical synonym for explained.

I understand now, thanks to the explanation

More descriptive, highlighting the reason for understanding.

I was informed about it

Conveys the reception of information, though not necessarily an explanation.

FAQs

How can "I've been explained" be used in a sentence?

Use "I've been explained" to indicate that someone has clarified something to you. For instance, "I have been explained the process", meaning someone explained the process to you.

Is "I've been explained" formal or informal?

"I've been explained" sits in a neutral register. More formal alternatives include "I have received an explanation".

What's a good alternative to "I've been explained"?

Alternatives depend on the context. Options range from the simple "it was explained to me" to the more emphatic "I have had it explained to me".

What is the difference between "I've been explained" and "I explained"?

"I've been explained" means you were the recipient of an explanation. "I explained" means you were the one giving the explanation. The two have opposite meanings.