Grammar Grappler 1: Compose/Comprise

Last week we announced a new blog series we’re calling Grammar Grapplers. A grappler is a tool consisting of several hooks for grasping and holding. The first commonly confused word pair we’re providing a hook for grasping is the difference between compose and comprise.

Which is correct?

We learned on the show Survivor that Fiji, a country in the South Pacific, is composed of more than 300 islands.

OR

We learned on the show Survivor that Fiji, a country in the South Pacific, is comprised of more than 300 islands.

Please scroll down for the correct answer.

Keep scrolling.

 

Keep scrolling.

 

The answer: is composed of

It is incorrect to say is comprised of. A whole comprises its parts. The parts compose the whole.

However, people tend to incorrectly say is comprised of when they mean comprise. So, the takeaway is never say is comprised of. You can say is composed of, but not is comprised of.

Therefore, these are the two grammatically correct versions of the example sentence:

We learned on the show Survivor that Fiji, a country in the South Pacific, is composed of more than 300 islands.

AND

We learned on the show Survivor that Fiji, a country in the South Pacific, comprises more than 300 islands.

Think of it this way.

The alphabet is composed of 26 letters.

AND

The alphabet comprises 26 letters.

Both are correct.

 

To customize a keynote or professional development session that will have your audience laughing and learning, contact Mandi Stanley.

Certified Speaking Professional Mandi Stanley works with business leaders who want to boost their professional image by becoming better speakers and writers through interactive high-content keynotes, breakout sessions, workshops, technical writing seminars, and fun proofreading classes. 

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