What is the difference between "compose" and "comprise"?
I try to avoid the use of comprise and compose when I am using English language at all costs as I just cannot seem to use them correctly.
Can anyone explain their use?
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Sign up to join this communityWhat is the difference between "compose" and "comprise"?
I try to avoid the use of comprise and compose when I am using English language at all costs as I just cannot seem to use them correctly.
Can anyone explain their use?
Comprise, verb
- to be made up of (something) : to include or consist of (something)
- to make up or form (something)
The pizza comprises 10 slices.
Compose, verb
- to come together to form or make (something)
Ten slices compose the pizza.
It's important to remember that the parts or elements compose the whole, and the whole comprises the parts or elements.
When to use each one depends on the order in which you say/write the whole and the parts/elements.
That being said, as others have commented on, it is a general rule of thumb to rearrange the sentence so that compose is always used.
The pizza is composed of 10 slices.