explain your opinion

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase 'explain your opinion' is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it while writing a longer essay or article, in order to prompt the reader for a more detailed explanation of the opinion. For example, if you were discussing the benefits of online shopping, you could ask the reader to "explain their opinion on the advantages of shopping online."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

6 human-written examples

Explain your opinion".

The New York Times

Use reasoning from your research to explain your opinion.

The New York Times

For more general comment pieces, explain your opinion or view – and how this differs from what anyone has said before.

The Guardian

Tweets may be shorter, but at least you have all the space you need to explain your opinion and justify your thoughts.

The Guardian - Opinion

If you find a song or "artist" to be offensive, inappropriate or just plain annoying, explain your opinion to your kids, then give them a chance to tell you theirs.

HuffPost

Explain your opinion in one paragraph.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

54 human-written examples

Be able to explain your opinions well and convince other people of your side.

WikiHow

Compose an editorial explaining your opinion on the issue.

The New York Times

The prevailing attitudes of your time must have colored your opinion, which might explain your comment but certainly doesn't excuse it.

Huffington Post

While posting a picture of a blockchain on Facebook and hoping for clicks is one strategy, explaining your views, opinions, and insights is far more important even if you approach it from a mercenary position.

TechCrunch

When you ask your audience a question for the sake of keeping them engaged, try to ask something they can answer easily, and then affirm and enhance their answer by explaining through your opinions or thoughts.

WikiHow

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When asking someone to "explain your opinion", encourage them to provide specific examples and reasoning to support their viewpoint.

Common error

Avoid simply stating an opinion without providing sufficient evidence or justification. Always encourage detailed explanations and reasoning.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "explain your opinion" functions as an imperative, directly requesting or instructing someone to provide a detailed account of their viewpoint. As seen in Ludwig and various examples, it seeks clarification and justification of a stated or implied belief.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

30%

Wiki

25%

Academia

20%

Less common in

Science

10%

Formal & Business

8%

Reference

7%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "explain your opinion" is a grammatically sound and useful phrase for requesting a detailed explanation of someone's viewpoint. Ludwig highlights its versatility, though it appears more frequently in News & Media, Wiki, and Academia contexts. While the phrase is generally appropriate, ensuring that the response includes supporting evidence and clear reasoning is crucial. Consider alternatives like "justify your viewpoint" or "elaborate on your stance" for subtle variations in emphasis. As confirmed by Ludwig, the phrase is perfectly acceptable for use in written English.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

give reasons for your view

Stresses the importance of providing a logical basis for the opinion.

clarify your perspective

Highlights the need for making the opinion more understandable and clear.

elaborate on your stance

Emphasizes expanding on the details and nuances of the position held.

detail your position

Implies providing specific information and aspects of the opinion.

outline your rationale

Demands giving the plan underling the reasoning for the opinion.

justify your viewpoint

Focuses on providing reasoning and evidence to support the opinion.

support your argument

Focuses on providing evidence and examples to validate the argument.

expound on your belief

Suggests a more detailed and thorough explanation of the underlying belief.

state the rationale behind your thinking

Highlights revealing the logical process and reasoning used to form the opinion.

defend your thesis

Emphasizes arguing in favor of a particular idea or argument.

FAQs

How can I ask someone to elaborate on their opinion?

Instead of directly asking to "explain your opinion", you could use phrases like "elaborate on that", "could you say more", or "tell me more about that" to encourage a more detailed response.

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

In formal settings, consider using phrases like "articulate your opinion", "expound on your perspective", or "provide further context" to request clarification.

Is it better to ask "explain your opinion" or "what do you think"?

"What do you think" is a more general inquiry, while "explain your opinion" specifically asks for a detailed reasoning behind their view. Use "explain your opinion" when you need a deeper understanding.

How can I politely disagree after asking someone to explain their opinion?

After someone "explain your opinion", you can politely disagree by saying, "I understand your perspective, however..." or "That's an interesting point, but I believe..." before presenting your counterarguments.