expand on the answer

USAGE SUMMARY

"expand on the answer" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
You can use it when you want to ask someone to elaborate on their response or to provide more details. For example, "Can you expand on the answer you gave about your professional background?".

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

A Home Office spokeswoman said she was not able to expand on the answer or say whether the situation might change when withdrawal from the EU was finalised.

The Guardian

I asked the by now slightly weary-sounding PR lady from Confused if she'd like to expand on the answer but the firm response was: that's your lot.

The Guardian

"I had said to the commission beforehand, if a follow-up is required or I think there's something we can expand on the answer, I'm going to ask that question.

The New Yorker

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

There are illustrations, too, lots of them, to expand on the answers where necessary and, of course, to attract interest.

The New York Times

Students should expand on the answers given.

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

More time was spent on whichever topics emerged as being the most interesting for the particular site being discussed, and, as far as possible, interviewees were invited simply to expand on the written answers they had provided (Valentine 1997).

Environmental Management

In a news conference on Monday, Roethlisberger expanded on that answer, telling a similar story to the one offered by Villanueva, while citing the carrying of a Bears flag into the tunnel as the reason Villanueva got separated from his teammates.

The New York Times - Sports

We'll expand on the materials in this article, and leave plenty of time for questions and answers.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

The answer comes promptly, without a second of thinking: „A well!" A well to ensure and expand on the gardening business.

Unicef

Most of the 25 geneticists who expanded on this answer stated that patients wanted to have results interpreted and explained.

Genome Medicine

This will allow the interview to expand on their answer, and you'll probably learn something that you didn't expect.

Yale University

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When asking someone to "expand on the answer", encourage them to use specific examples or evidence to support their claims. This adds credibility and clarity to their explanation.

Common error

Avoid simply requesting someone to "expand on the answer" without providing any context or direction. Instead, specify which aspect of the answer you want them to elaborate on to get a more focused and relevant response.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "expand on the answer" functions primarily as a request for further elaboration. It is used to prompt someone to provide more details, context, or clarification on a previously given answer. Ludwig AI indicates that the phrase is correct and usable in English.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Science

33%

Academia

33%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "expand on the answer" is a grammatically sound and usable phrase, albeit not very common, as supported by Ludwig AI's analysis. Its primary function is to request further elaboration on a response, aiming to elicit a more comprehensive explanation. While suitable for various contexts, including News & Media, Science, and Academia, it’s crucial to provide specific context when using it to avoid vagueness. For alternative phrasing, consider "elaborate on the answer" or "provide more detail on the answer". By following best practices, users can effectively employ this phrase to gain a deeper understanding of a topic.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

elaborate on the answer

This alternative uses "elaborate" which is a synonym for "expand", maintaining a high degree of similarity.

provide more detail on the answer

This phrase replaces "expand" with "provide more detail", focusing on adding further information.

give a more detailed answer

This option restructures the sentence to emphasize the detailed nature of the response.

explain the answer further

This alternative uses "explain further" to indicate a more in-depth explanation.

add more information to the answer

This phrase highlights the addition of extra information to the original answer.

go into more detail about the answer

This option uses the idiom "go into more detail" to convey a deeper explanation.

develop the answer further

This uses "develop" to suggest a more built-up, comprehensive answer.

amplify the answer

This alternative employs "amplify", which means to increase or widen the scope of the answer.

extend the answer

This utilizes "extend" to mean to lengthen or make the answer longer.

supplement the answer with details

This uses "supplement" to highlight the act of adding something to complete or enhance the answer.

FAQs

How can I use "expand on the answer" in a sentence?

You can use "expand on the answer" when you want someone to provide a more detailed explanation. For example, "Could you "expand on the answer" you gave about your experience with project management software?"

What is a more formal alternative to "expand on the answer"?

A more formal alternative to "expand on the answer" is "elaborate on the response" or "provide further clarification regarding the answer". For example, "Could you "elaborate on the response" you provided earlier?"

What's the difference between "expand on the answer" and "explain the answer"?

"Explain the answer" generally refers to providing a basic understanding, while "expand on the answer" suggests providing more details, context, or nuance. To ""expand on the answer"" means to add to an existing explanation.

Is it correct to say "expand upon the answer" instead of "expand on the answer"?

While "expand upon the answer" is grammatically correct, ""expand on the answer"" is generally more common and natural-sounding in contemporary English. Both convey the same meaning of providing more detail.