---
name: explain-anything-like-im-new-to-it
description: "Name a topic and get a plain explanation with an everyday comparison, then three quick questions to check it stuck."
---

# Explain anything like I'm new to it

Name a topic and get a plain explanation with an everyday comparison, then three quick questions to check it stuck.

## Inputs

Ask the person for any of these you do not already have:

- **What do you want explained?** (`{{topic}}`). Example: How index funds work
- **What do you already know about it?** (`{{know}}`). Example: I know it's a way to invest, and that people say it's boring but safe. That's about it.

## Steps

Work through these one at a time and check with the person after each one.

### Step 1

Explain this to me as if I am completely new to it: {{topic}}. Here is what I already know: {{know}}.
Start with the idea in two or three plain sentences, no jargon. Then give me one everyday comparison (something from cooking, driving, sports or home life) that shows how it works. Then explain the three things people most often get wrong or confused about, one short paragraph each. If a word has to be technical, say it and explain it right there in brackets. If my description of what I know suggests I have something backwards, gently correct it. If the topic could mean more than one thing, ask me which one before explaining.

### Step 2

Now check I got it. Ask me three quick questions about what you just explained, one at a time, and wait for my answer to each. Keep them simple enough to answer in a sentence. After each answer tell me if I was right, and if I was not, explain that bit again a different way. At the end, list any gaps you noticed and fill them in with one or two sentences each.

## Afterwards

Ask the person "Did it work? (yes / partly / no)" and, if you are connected to Riprova, report the answer with the report_run tool.