explain what happened

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "explain what happened" is correct and usable in written English.
You could use it, for example, when asking someone to recount the details of an event. For example, "Please explain what happened when you arrived at the scene."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

Explain what happened.

The New York Times

How to explain what happened?

The New York Times

Can she explain what happened?

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Let me explain what happened".

The New York Times

If yes, please explain what happened".

The New Yorker

"They ask, I explain (what) happened.

The New York Times

UBS says it will explain what happened.

The New York Times

Unfortunately, I can never explain what happened.

The New York Times

How to explain what happened to Australia?

The Guardian - Sport

I can't recall or explain what happened.

The Guardian

It's hard to explain what happened next.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "explain what happened", ensure you provide sufficient context for clarity. Specify the event or situation you are referring to, especially if it's not immediately obvious to your audience.

Common error

Avoid using passive voice excessively when asking someone to explain what happened. Instead of saying "It needs to be explained what happened", opt for the direct and active "Explain what happened".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "explain what happened" functions as an imperative request. It's used to solicit a detailed account or clarification of a specific event. This is validated by Ludwig, confirming its grammatical correctness and usability in written English.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

52%

Wiki

22%

Science

8%

Less common in

Formal & Business

7%

Reference

6%

Academia

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "explain what happened" is a very common and grammatically sound way to request information about an event. As Ludwig AI confirms, it’s widely used in various contexts, particularly in News & Media and Wiki articles. When using this phrase, it's important to provide enough context to ensure clarity and avoid overuse of passive voice. For more formal situations, alternatives like "describe what took place" or "recount the events" may be suitable. Overall, "explain what happened" is a reliable and direct way to seek clarification or a detailed account of an event.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

describe what took place

Replaces 'happened' with 'took place', offering a more formal tone.

recount the events

Focuses on narrating the sequence of occurrences.

give an account of what occurred

Uses 'give an account' for a formal explanation.

shed light on what transpired

Implies clarifying or revealing unknown aspects.

walk me through what happened

Requests a step-by-step explanation.

break down what happened

Suggests simplifying a complex event into understandable parts.

tell me what went down

An informal way of asking for an explanation.

clarify the situation

Focuses on making a confusing situation clear.

what's the explanation

A direct question seeking the reason behind an event.

what's your version of events

Seeks a specific perspective or interpretation of what happened.

FAQs

How can I use "explain what happened" in a sentence?

You can use "explain what happened" to ask someone to provide details about an event. For example, "Can you "explain what happened" after the meeting?"

What are some alternative ways to ask someone to "explain what happened"?

Instead of asking to "explain what happened", you could ask them to "describe what took place", "recount the events", or "clarify the situation".

Is it correct to say "explain what had happened" instead of "explain what happened"?

Both are grammatically correct, but they convey slightly different meanings. "Explain what happened" refers to an event in the recent past, while "explain what had happened" refers to an event that occurred earlier in the past relative to another past event.

What's the difference between "explain what happened" and "explain why it happened"?

"Explain what happened" focuses on the sequence of events, while "explain why it happened" focuses on the reasons or causes behind the events.