Explain Anything Prompt Builder
Get a clear explanation of any concept at exactly the level you need.
The quality of an AI explanation depends almost entirely on how well you specify your current knowledge level and what you want to do with the information. This workflow shows you how to get explanations that actually land.
The Workflow
Identify what you actually don't understand
The most common mistake when asking for explanations: being too broad. 'Explain quantum mechanics' is nearly impossible to answer usefully. 'Explain what superposition means in plain English' is tractable.
Use the layered explanation prompt
This prompt gives you control over level, format, and depth in a single request.
Explain [CONCEPT] to me. My current knowledge level: [KNOWLEDGE_LEVEL] (e.g., "I know nothing about this topic" / "I understand X but not Y" / "I have a general sense but it's fuzzy") Why I want to understand this: [PURPOSE] How I learn best: [LEARNING_STYLE] (e.g., analogies and stories / diagrams described in text / step-by-step logic / real-world examples) Please: 1. Start with the core idea in two sentences a smart 10-year-old could understand 2. Then explain it properly at my knowledge level 3. Give me one concrete, real-world example I could observe or test 4. Tell me what people usually misunderstand about this 5. Give me one question I can answer to test if I actually got it
Replace: [CONCEPT], [KNOWLEDGE_LEVEL], [PURPOSE], [LEARNING_STYLE]
Go deeper with follow-ups
Good explanations create new questions. Use these follow-up prompts to keep building understanding.
You just explained [CONCEPT]. I have a few follow-up questions: 1. [FOLLOW_UP_QUESTION_1] 2. [FOLLOW_UP_QUESTION_2] Also: what's the most interesting or surprising implication of this concept that most people don't think about? And what's the next related concept I should understand to build on this?
Replace: [CONCEPT], [FOLLOW_UP_QUESTION_1], [FOLLOW_UP_QUESTION_2]
All Prompts for This Workflow
Explain [CONCEPT] to me. My current knowledge level: [KNOWLEDGE_LEVEL] Why I want to understand this: [PURPOSE] How I learn best: [LEARNING_STYLE] Start with the core idea in two sentences a smart 10-year-old could understand. Then explain it properly at my level. Give one real-world example I could observe. Tell me what people usually misunderstand. Give me one question to test my understanding.
Replace: [CONCEPT], [KNOWLEDGE_LEVEL], [PURPOSE], [LEARNING_STYLE]
I'm trying to understand [CONCEPT] but existing explanations aren't clicking. What I'm already familiar with: [FAMILIAR_DOMAINS] What specifically confuses me: [SPECIFIC_CONFUSION] Generate three different analogies for this concept using three different domains (not the same one repeated). For each analogy, note where it breaks down — the best analogies also show their own limits.
Replace: [CONCEPT], [FAMILIAR_DOMAINS], [SPECIFIC_CONFUSION]
I think I understand [CONCEPT] but I'm not sure my understanding is correct. Here's what I think I know: [MY_CURRENT_UNDERSTANDING] Please: 1. Identify what I got right 2. Point out any gaps or misconceptions in what I described 3. Give me the one correction that would most improve my understanding 4. Ask me a question that will reveal whether my understanding is solid or just surface-level
Replace: [CONCEPT], [MY_CURRENT_UNDERSTANDING]
A layered explanation starting with a plain-language core idea, a level-appropriate deeper explanation, a concrete real-world example, common misconceptions, and a comprehension check question.
- →Specify what you want to do with the knowledge. 'I need to explain this to my team' produces very different explanations than 'I need to pass an exam on it.'
- →After the explanation, ask: 'What's the minimum I need to understand about this to not embarrass myself in a conversation about it?' — a surprisingly useful filter.