Instead of asking, “Could you please explain…?” be sure to ask, “Could you please clarify…?” instead. If you do choose to use “explain,” be sure to be very specific about what you need explained, naming a particular idea, detail, or viewpoint.
When I share ways to clarify what you heard, you’ll notice that the verb “explain” is almost completely absent. To make clear by removing impurities or solid matter, as by heating gently or filtering: clarify butter. To clear of confusion or uncertainty: clarify the mind. They show the other person that you are listening carefully and participating in the conversation, and that you want to be sure you understood everything. To make clear or easier to understand elucidate: clarified her intentions. Learning to clarify what you heard and confirm your understanding are two of the most important conversation skills in English. Of course, if you do need a longer, more detailed explanation, you want to use the verb “explain” rather than “clarify.”īut if you only need a small detail explained to you, choose the verb “clarify” instead.
Or perhaps the other person wasn’t fully clear (it happens!) so they need to restate their idea another way. When you ask someone to clarify something for you, it suggests that you are following what the person is saying and understand the majority or all of the key points, but you need more details on a certain point. When you ask someone to explain something to you, it suggests that you’re pretty lost, that you missed key points, or that they need to give you a more in-depth explanation so that you fully understand. The Subtle Difference Between Explain and Clarify The reality is that there’s a subtle, but significant, difference between the words “explain” and “clarify.” You understand his overall ideas, but would like a few more details, so you ask him this question: “Could you please explain this to me?”īut for some reason, he starts over from the beginning, as if you didn’t understand anything he said at all. clarification noun C/U us / klrfken / U Two of your points deserve further clarification. Talking it through with you has helped me to clarify my own thinking about the problem. In a heart-breaking text, she clarified that she never ever wanted to see him again. clarify verb T us / klrf / to make something clearer or easier to understand: I hope this analysis will clarify the debate.
#CLARIFY MEANING PROFESSIONAL#
Need more information in a professional situation, business meeting, seminar, or conference? Ask for clarification, NOT an explanation.Īfter listening carefully to your colleague’s presentation in a business meeting, you realize you still need a little more information before giving your feedback. Clarify means to clear up confusion and make it all understandable.
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