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On the web, I see many examples of answers given by professional support that end like this:
<Answer to the asker's question>
I hope this clarifies your question.
I am surprised by this closing sentence. The question itself often was perfectly clear.
Is this usage correct?
Comparing with a sentence like "Could you please clarify your question?" I feel like there is a discrepancy.
To clarify means to make something clearer. Clarifying a question would mean making the question clearer so it could be understood. It would not be possible to answer an unclear question! If a question is unclear, only the asker can really clarify it.
However, let's say you had a question about a certain matter that was causing you confusion - the subject of your question. A person answering the question may have clarified the subject matter for you. So, it is quite common to hear answers to questions end with statements such as "I hope that clarifies the matter for you".
