clarify your understanding

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "clarify your understanding" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when you want to explain something to someone in more detail or request that someone explain something to you in more detail. For example: "Can you clarify your understanding so I can better understand your point of view?".

✓ Grammatically correct

Wiki

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

4 human-written examples

Karen Barnard, director of UCL Careers When freezing up during an interview, honesty is the best policy: But first, clarify your understanding of the question by saying something like: "To clarify, did you mean...?" If you still don't know, then be upfront and describe how you are going to find out about whatever it is.

The Guardian

"Clarify your understanding of the negotiations" before you accept, says Weingart.

Science Magazine

Use this process to clarify your understanding.

WikiHow

You are there to listen, not teach or tell them what to do so feel free to clarify your understanding and ask them about that they're telling you but don't give your input yet.

WikiHow

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

This will help you clarify your own understanding and convey to the other person that he has indeed been heard and understood.

WikiHow

Much like customer development, an MVP is simply a way to rapidly test your hypotheses, deepen your understanding and clarify your vision.

TechCrunch

And whatever its flaws and infelicities — on such a large canvas the brushwork can hardly be perfect — Kobayashi's monumental film can clarify and enrich your understanding of what it is to be alive.

The New York Times

Clarify and summarize your understanding.

Huffington Post

Each successive revision helps clarify and adds something to your understanding of the material.

WikiHow

As content marketing is sometimes used interchangeably with terms like "sponsored content" or "native advertising", the discussion began by trying to clarify attendees' understanding of the term.

The Guardian

Computers that obey precise instructions allow children to teach them to carry out specific actions or calculations; this helps clarify their understanding of mathematical ideas.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When asking someone to "clarify your understanding", be specific about what aspects you find confusing. This helps them provide a more focused and helpful explanation.

Common error

Avoid assuming you fully understand a concept or instruction without actively seeking clarification. Proactively "clarify your understanding" to prevent errors and ensure accurate execution.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "clarify your understanding" functions as an imperative, typically used to request or encourage someone to provide a more detailed explanation of their comprehension of a subject. As Ludwig AI points out, this phrase is generally well-regarded in terms of grammatical correctness.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

40%

Wiki

20%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "clarify your understanding" is a grammatically sound phrase that encourages a more detailed explanation. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and usability in written English. While not extremely common, it's found across diverse contexts, including news, science, and wikis. The phrase serves to foster clearer communication and prevent misunderstandings. When using the phrase, being specific about the area needing clarification will elicit a better response. Remember to avoid assuming understanding without explicitly seeking it.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

ensure you understand

Focuses on confirming comprehension rather than explicitly seeking clarification.

confirm your comprehension

Similar to ensure you understand, but uses more formal language.

verify your understanding

Emphasizes the act of checking or validating comprehension.

explain your interpretation

Shifts the focus to expressing one's understanding rather than seeking clarification.

restate your position

Focuses on reaffirming a viewpoint, potentially to clarify understanding.

outline your perspective

Similar to explain your interpretation, highlighting the personal viewpoint.

articulate your view

Emphasizes clear and effective communication of one's understanding.

expand on your thoughts

Asks for more detail to foster a deeper understanding.

elaborate on your reasoning

Directs the focus to the logical foundation of one's understanding.

give me your take on it

A more informal way of asking for someone's understanding or perspective.

FAQs

How can I use "clarify your understanding" in a sentence?

You can use "clarify your understanding" when you want someone to explain something more clearly. For example, you might say, "Could you please clarify your understanding of the project requirements?"

What's a more formal way to ask someone to clarify their understanding?

A more formal alternative to "clarify your understanding" could be "Could you please "elaborate on" your interpretation of the data?"

What can I say instead of "clarify your understanding" in an email?

In an email, you could use phrases like "To ensure I'm on the right track, could you "confirm your comprehension" of the next steps?"

Is it better to say "clarify your understanding" or "clarify your position"?

The best choice depends on the context. Use "clarify your understanding" when you want someone to explain their comprehension of something. Use "clarify your position" when you want someone to explain their stance or opinion on a particular issue.