Prepare stage to describe situation (3,3,5)
I believe the answer is:
set the scene
'prepare' is the definition.
I know nothing about this answer so I can't tell whether it can be defined by this definition.
'stage to describe situation' is the wordplay.
I cannot quite understand how this works, but
'stage' could be 'set' (setting is a kind of staging) and 'set' is located in the answer.
'situation' could be 'scene' (scene is a kind of situation) and 'scene' is present in the answer.
The remaining letters 'the' is a valid word which might be clued in a way I don't see.
This may be the basis of the clue (or it may be nonsense).
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for set the scene that I've seen before include "Fill in the background (to an event)" , "Provide background" , "as one working with props might" , "explain the situation" , "Prepare the ground" .)