Quick answer Canonicalizes to Comprise vs. Compose

Is it "comprised of" or "composed of"?

i · AnswerOne line, no lecture

"Composed of." Strict usage treats "comprised of" as an error — the whole comprises the parts directly.

ii · A little moreWhy this is the one to keep

Comprise means contain: "the team comprises five members." Compose means make up: "five members compose the team," or "the team is composed of five members." The phrase "comprised of" jumbles the two — widely used, widely flagged by editors.

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