Community guides › r/explainlikeimfive
How to post in r/explainlikeimfive
What this community allows, what its most upvoted posts have in common, and what gets removed. Checked against the community's sidebar.
Can I promote my app or project in r/explainlikeimfive?
Not as a rule. No self-promotion here. Take part as a member instead, or pick another community.
Does r/explainlikeimfive allow AI-written posts?
There's no explicit ban we could find, but readers spot generic AI writing quickly. Rewrite any draft in your own voice.
What format do posts in r/explainlikeimfive need?
Reply: one plain-language comparison first, then 2-4 sentences of real detail.
What do the top posts in r/explainlikeimfive look like?
Top posts of the year: 60% have a text body; median body 59 words, 60% first person; titles ~19 words, 92% questions, 100% with a number; common openers: 'ELI5'; top comments ~60 words.
What do readers of r/explainlikeimfive reward?
Answers that explain with an everyday comparison a 12-year-old would get, then the real detail.
The rules we found
Titles start "ELI5:" and ask for an explanation; flair the question. Answers should explain simply, not just link.
What gets posts removed or ignored
- link-only answers
- jokes as top-level answers
Draft a post for r/explainlikeimfive that follows these rules, scored before you post it.
Sign up, it's freeRules change. Read the community's own Rules tab before posting; this page is a summary, not the rules.