describe how it is vs describe what it is

Both phrases are correct, but they are used in different contexts. 'Describe how it is' is used when you want someone to explain the way something is done or the process involved. On the other hand, 'Describe what it is' is used when you want someone to provide information about the nature or identity of something.

Last updated: March 30, 2024 • 1060 views

This phrase is correct and commonly used when asking for an explanation of the process or method.

"describe how it is"

This phrase is used when you want someone to explain the way something is done or the process involved.

Show examples from the web [+]

If YES, describe how it is protected
If YES, describe how it is protected (physical, human, technological, etc.)
In both cases, please indicate the aid amount and describe how it is calculated.
It's hard to describe how scary it is when you don't know an answer.
At any time after it is submitted, a bug report has a Status that describes how it is currently being handled. Here are the possible values of Status and what they mean:
This song is called "Dead Man's Boots," which is an expression which describes how difficult it is to get a job;
That is pretty much how you describe it, is it not?
These equations describe how light behaves.
This equation describes how gravity behaves.
This equations describes how atoms behave.
This section describes how the data quality shall be assessed.
It describes how an inorganic host can house organic material.
I cannot adequately describe how we feel.
Describe how the comparison was made:
This report describes how Canada cooperates with some of its closest and longest-standing allies in the intelligence sphere.
It describes how fast a request to the spatial data service can be completed.
Table 10 describes how to evaluate parameters nthermal and nel in the TEWI formula for cogeneration space heaters.
This chapter describes how you can configure & kexi; to suit your own needs and preferences.
This chapter describes how to perform some common tasks in & kpresenter;.
Please briefly describe how inspection activities are planned.

Alternatives:

Explain how it is
Detail how it is
Illustrate how it is
Elaborate on how it is
Clarify how it is

This phrase is correct and commonly used when asking for information about the nature or identity of something.

"describe what it is"

This phrase is used when you want someone to provide information about the nature or identity of something.

Show examples from the web [+]

But it does describe what it is.
Perhaps you could describe what exactly it is you do.
The name of a 'Constitutional Treaty' describes what it is perfectly: it has constitutional elements and it is an international treaty.
Please describe for me what it is.
I therefore want to describe to you what it is like to be on the other side.
Like, I built Pied Piper and you could see it but I can't really describe to you what it is even though I kind of know where I'm going.
Mr President, Commissioner, it has to be said that what prevails in the application of the Maastricht Treaty is not at all what you describe: it is neither Article 9 nor Article 14 for protecting public services.
The above definition clearly describes what tissue is.
Where relevant, describe what mitigating measures have been foreseen.
Paragraph 1 describes what discoveries are, and paragraph 2 describes what inventions are.
Please describe what the abovementioned standards and requirements are and explain how the animal welfare commitments involve more than their application.
That doesn't even begin to describe what's...
There are no words to describe what he really was.
I can't describe what I saw that night.
Try and describe what you see.
Words cannot describe what Juan has done and suffered for the cause.
Useless to describe what went on in these cells.
There's no other way to describe what's going on here.
The word that best describes what happened here today is...
But this one comment kind of describes what we are discussing here today.

Alternatives:

Explain what it is
Detail what it is
Illustrate what it is
Elaborate on what it is
Clarify what it is

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describe how it is vs describe what it is