Discuss, Explain, and Describe: Avoiding Extra Prepositions

Several common communication verbs use object patterns that differ from their equivalents in other languages. As a result, learners often add about or omit to where Standard English uses a different structure.

Discuss takes the topic directly

Discuss is transitive: use discuss something, not normally discuss about something.

• We discussed the proposal.
• Let’s discuss your progress tomorrow.
• We had a discussion about the proposal.

Explain something to someone

With explain, the thing explained comes directly after the verb; the person normally follows to.

• Please explain the rule to me.
• She explained why the deadline had changed.

Describe something to someone

Describe follows a similar pattern when a recipient is included.

• Can you describe the problem to the technician?
• He described the scene in detail.

Talk about is different

Talk about does take about, which may be why learners transfer the preposition to discuss.

• We talked about the proposal. / We discussed the proposal.

Nouns may use different prepositions

Verb and noun patterns are not always identical: discuss the issue but a discussion about the issue. Learn the whole construction.

Common mistakes to avoid

• discuss about the problem → discuss the problem.
• explain me the rule → explain the rule to me.
• describe me the situation → describe the situation to me.

Quick practice

1. Correct: “We discussed about the budget.”
2. Correct: “Can you explain me this chart?”
3. Complete: “She described the process ___ the new employee.”

Suggested answers: 1. We discussed the budget. 2. Can you explain this chart to me? 3. to.

Key takeaway

Learn high-frequency communication verbs as grammar frames, not isolated vocabulary: discuss something, explain something to someone, describe something to someone.