“Comprise” or “Compose”?

by Grammar Girl

Grammar GirlThe Quick and Dirty:

“Comprise” means “to contain” or, less frequently, “to include,” with the whole preceding the parts in the sentence order (e.g. “America comprises 50 states”).

“Compose” means “to make up” and the parts come before the whole in the sentence order (e.g. “Many ethnic groups compose our nation”).

America "comprises" 50 states, but license plates "compose" this map. via Kevin Hutchinson/flickr

But what about if we want to say that something “is composed of” or “is comprised of” something else? Is one more right than the other? Short answer: Yes! You can’t use the passive voice with “comprise,” so you must say that something “comprises” something else. It’s fine, on the other hand, to say that this blog, for instance, “is composed of” many different voices.

If you forget this tip, you can always just say “makes up” or “made up of” instead and sidestep the grammar confusion.

That’s all for now!

 

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15 Responses to ““Comprise” or “Compose”?”


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