This is part of the difference between series.
While editing client work, I often come across the misuse of compose and comprise. Here is the difference between the two:
Compose
Compose means something like “to make up”.
- Eight slices compose a pizza.
- Leaves, branches, trunk, and roots compose a tree.
Comprise
Comprise, on the other hand, means something like “to include”.
- A pizza comprises eight slices.
- A tree comprises leaves, branches, trunk, and roots.
In other words, use compose to refer to parts making a whole and comprise to refer to a whole divided into its parts.
Composed of or comprised of?
But what if you’re writing the passive voice? Would it be “Canada is composed of 10 provinces and 3 territories” or “Canada is comprised of 10 provinces and 3 territories”?
Well, here‘s the trick: let’s substitute these two words with the definitions we included above.
| Original | With definition |
| Canada is composed of 10 provinces and 3 territories. | Canada is made up of 10 provinces and 3 territories. |
| Canada is comprised of 10 provinces and 3 territories. | Canada is included of 10 provinces and 3 territories. |
Which sounds correct to you? Naturally, “Canada is made up of 10 provinces and 3 territories.” So, we’d use composed of in the passive voice, never comprised of.
What words do you commonly confuse? Let me know in the comments below.
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