Test Whether an Explanation Is Too Advanced
Added 2026-11-04
Build on what they already know instead of swapping in new terms.
I need to explain a concept to someone (audience below). Do: 1) identify which terms exceed their knowledge; 2) find an equivalent in a domain they already know for each term; 3) give an explanation order from known to unknown; 4) point out the signals that they are pretending to understand; 5) give a three-step check to see whether they really got it. Do not just say "make it simpler".
Site original
Chinese original
How to use
解释的难点是桥，不是简化。
Try tweaking it
- Ask for one diagnostic question first to locate where you are stuck.
- Replace "explain it" with "give three progressive exercises; correct me after I answer".
What you should get
- A diagnosis of exactly where you are stuck
- A small set of self-checkable exercises
Common mistakes
- Asking it to explain from scratch, and still not knowing where you went wrong.
- Memorising the explanation as the answer, then failing on any variant.
How to check the output
- It names exactly where you are stuck instead of re-explaining everything.
- Exercises are graded and self-checkable.
Where it works
- Good for: diagnosing where you are stuck, then giving the smallest exercise instead of a lecture.
- Watch out: ask it to flag uncertainty rather than memorising a confident but wrong explanation.