explain to its

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "explain to its" is not correct in English as it lacks clarity and proper context.
It could be used in a context where you are referring to explaining something to a specific entity, but it needs to be followed by a noun that clarifies what "its" refers to. Example: "Please explain to its members how the new policy will work."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

15 human-written examples

CAIRO — President Obama's decision to deliver a speech here next month has given significant encouragement to a once powerful ally that has grown increasingly frustrated over its waning regional influence and its inability to explain to its citizens why it remains committed to a Middle East peace process that has failed to produce a better life for Palestinians.

The New York Times

The relationship goes back at least to 1994, around the time Farmer Mac brought him in to explain to its overseers at the Farm Credit Administration why it was restating some earnings figures.

The New York Times

It's incumbent on European leaders to explain to its people "why we have to do what we're doing and why you have to take some pain for the greater good later".

Huffington Post

The organisation recently lost £3m on currency speculation, which will be extremely difficult to explain to its mainly small-amount donors.

The Guardian - Opinion

That puts it in the awkward position of not having someone to explain to its institutional and retail investors the biggest deal so far this year.

The New York Times

Since then, father and son have traveled the country to explain to its 670,000 people why the nation should embrace democracy.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

40 human-written examples

A knowledge-based system should be capable of explaining to its users the reasons why it has recommended a particular course of action, or drawn a particular inference.

BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making

The descriptions are sparse, because why would they need explaining to its core audience?

The New York Times - Food

Even the Times newspaper explained to its readers in 1942 that GIs were "friendly and simple" rather than "Hollywood stars or two-gun Texans with five-gallon hats".

BBC

Each study's nature and purpose were explained to its subjects, who provided written informed consent before any study procedures.

European Journal of Neurology

The integration design ideas and practices are explained to indicate its significant advantages and importance to the aerospace engine bearings.

Chinese Journal of Aeronautics

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using a possessive pronoun like "its", ensure the noun it refers to is clear and grammatically correct in the context. For example, "explain to its members" is clearer than "explain to its".

Common error

Avoid using "explain to its" without a clear noun following "its" to specify the recipient of the explanation. This omission leads to ambiguity and grammatical errors.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "explain to its" functions as an incomplete prepositional phrase. Ludwig AI indicates that it is grammatically incorrect because it lacks a clear referent for the possessive pronoun "its".

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

31%

Wiki

6%

Less common in

Formal & Business

6%

Encyclopedias

4%

Social Media

3%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "explain to its" is generally considered grammatically incorrect without a clarifying noun following "its". As Ludwig AI confirms, the phrase requires completion to provide a clear reference. While examples exist, they underscore the necessity of specifying the recipient of the explanation, such as "explain to its members" or "explain to its audience". Alternatives like "explain to the" or "clarify for" may be more appropriate depending on the context. To ensure clarity and grammatical correctness, always specify the entity or group being addressed. The frequency of this phrase in news media reflects its use in contexts where organizations communicate with stakeholders. Therefore, when using "explain to its", verify that the sentence is grammatically complete and semantically clear.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

explain it to the

Replaces "its" with "the", requiring a noun after "the" to specify the recipient.

explain to the

Omits "its", requiring a noun after "the" to specify the recipient.

explain to their

Changes the possessive pronoun to "their", indicating a plural recipient.

clarify for its

Replaces "explain" with "clarify", maintaining the possessive pronoun "its".

elucidate to its

Substitutes "explain" with the more formal "elucidate", keeping "its".

detail for its

Replaces explain with the word detail.

expound to its

Uses "expound" instead of "explain", suggesting a more thorough explanation to "its".

present to its

Changes "explain" to "present", focusing on conveying information rather than clarifying.

describe to its

Uses "describe" instead of "explain", focusing on providing a detailed account to "its".

illustrate to its

Replaces "explain" with "illustrate", implying the use of examples to aid understanding to "its".

FAQs

How can I correctly use a possessive pronoun after "explain to"?

Always follow "explain to its" with a noun that clarifies what "its" refers to. For example, "explain to its members" is grammatically sound, whereas "explain to its" is incomplete.

What are some alternatives to "explain to its"?

Depending on the context, you can use alternatives such as "explain to the", "explain to their", or simply "clarify for".

Is "explain to its" grammatically correct?

According to Ludwig AI, the phrase "explain to its" is grammatically incorrect. It requires a noun to complete the possessive pronoun's reference.

In what contexts might I encounter "explain to its"?

You might encounter "explain to its" in various forms of writing, but it is typically followed by a noun specifying to whom the explanation is directed, such as "explain to its stakeholders" or "explain to its audience".