LoginExplain vs. Describe
'Explain' and 'describe' are closely related in meaning but they differ in terms of purpose and context of use. This lesson will explore their differences.
'Explain' and 'describe' both involve providing information or details about something. However, 'explain' involves providing information about something to make it easy to understand, while 'describe' focuses on providing details about something to show what it's like. This lesson will discuss this difference in more detail.
Difference in Purpose
'Explain' focuses on providing clarification, understanding, or reasoning about a subject, concept, or process. When you explain something, you try to make it clearer and easier to understand. 'Describe', on the other hand, involves providing a detailed account or portrayal of something, often focusing on its appearance, characteristics, or qualities. Describing tries to present an image of the object or person by providing specific details or observations. Here are some examples:
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Difference in Context
To 'explain' something typically involves dealing with more abstract and conceptual ideas, theories, processes, or complex systems. It aims at providing logical connections and offering a deeper understanding of the subject matter. As such, 'explain' cannot be used when talking about qualities and appearance of concrete objects. To 'describe', on the other hand, is more concerned with concrete objects and focuses on the physical attributes, characteristics, or qualities of a subject, often emphasizing sensory experiences. It can also be used when talking about an abstract concept, but even in this case its meaning is not the same 'explain'.
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Explaining an emotion is not the same as describing it, as a description concerns the way you feel but an explanation tries to find reasons for feeling a certain way.
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