explain of

USAGE SUMMARY

"explain of" is not a correct or commonly used phrase in written English.
It is likely a mistake or a non-standard usage. A more appropriate phrase would be "explain about" or "explain the concept of." For example: - Can you please explain about the new project? - He struggled to explain the concept of quantum mechanics to his students.

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

25 human-written examples

(This helps explain, of course, why there are so few people in the farming Midwest).

The New York Times

These findings will contribute directly to explain of adoption hedonic business software in e-banking.

Computers in Human Behavior

Džeko is sometimes obliged to explain of all this to reporters who know little or nothing of Bosnia's war.

The Guardian

All of which might be hard to explain, of course, if you've just mooned the dinner party.

The New York Times - Health

He was speaking of Sigur Ros's music and also, he went on to explain, of the stirring medieval chants of the rimnamenn, and he was right, of course.

The New York Times - Magazine

This does not explain, of course, why RIA often becomes an arena for political conflict involving both government departments and stakeholders.

Forest Policy and Economics

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

35 human-written examples

"Periods of time are conflated," Simons explained of the collection.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

The likes, he explains, of "Ingmar Bergman, Henrik Ibsen, Karin Larsson, Nina Persson".

The Guardian - Music

"This is a second act," he explains of himself.

The Guardian - Film

"They're tricky," she explained of her fleshy houseplants.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

"He's trying really hard," Miley explains of Bieber.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using the phrase "explain of" in your writing. Instead, use alternatives such as "explain about" or "explain the concept of" for clarity and grammatical correctness.

Common error

A common mistake is pairing "explain" with the incorrect preposition. Always double-check preposition usage; "explain about", "explain the concept of", or "provide an explanation for" are safer and grammatically sound choices.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "explain of" functions as an attempted verb phrase, aiming to introduce a clarification or description. However, Ludwig AI examples and the AI's assessment indicate that this construction is grammatically incorrect in standard English.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

38%

News & Media

31%

Wiki

12%

Less common in

Formal & Business

6%

Encyclopedias

6%

Academia

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "explain of" is generally considered grammatically incorrect. While Ludwig examples show its presence across various sources like news, science and wikis, its use is not recommended. Ludwig AI analysis suggests opting for alternatives like "explain about" or "provide an explanation of" to ensure clarity and grammatical accuracy. This is substantiated by expert ratings which mark down the phrase due to grammatical issues and source reliability. It is better to use alternative phrases such as "explain about", "clarify", or "elucidate on" depending on context.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

explain about

Replaces "of" with "about" to form a grammatically correct prepositional phrase.

explain concerning

Uses "concerning" instead of "of" to indicate the topic being explained.

clarify regarding

Employs "clarify" as a synonym for explain and "regarding" as a suitable preposition.

elucidate on

Substitutes "explain" with "elucidate" and uses "on" to properly connect the verb with the subject.

expound upon

Replaces "explain" with "expound" and uses "upon" as the correct preposition.

detail the reasons for

Offers a more detailed way of asking for an explanation.

shed light on

Uses an idiomatic expression to mean explain or clarify.

give an explanation of

Provides a more formal and grammatically correct alternative.

account for

Uses "account for" to indicate providing an explanation.

interpret

Offers a simpler alternative when the goal is to understand something.

FAQs

What is the correct way to use "explain" with a preposition?

The verb "explain" is typically followed by "about", as in "explain about something", or used with a direct object, like "explain something". Alternatively, use "provide an explanation of".

What prepositions can be used with "explain"?

While "explain of" is incorrect, "explain about", "explain away", and "explain to" are correct depending on the context. You can also "provide an explanation of".

How can I avoid using "explain of" in my writing?

Always proofread your sentences and consider replacing "explain of" with phrases like "explain about", "describe", or "clarify" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "explain of" or "explain about"?

"Explain about" is the grammatically correct choice. The phrase "explain of" is not standard English. Ensure you use the correct preposition to maintain clarity and grammatical accuracy.