Comprise/Compose
Q. Which is correct: "His symphony is composed of five movements" or "His symphony is comprised of five movements"?
A. Short answer: never write or say is comprised of.
Long answer: Comprise means to include; compose means to make by putting parts together. So saying "…is comprised of" is like saying "…is included of." Here are two guidelines to follow:
(1) The whole comprises (includes) the parts.
• The United States comprises 50 individual states.
• The movie A.I. comprises three sections.
• The federal government comprises three separate branches.
Substitute “includes” to ensure that the correct word really is “comprises.”
(2) The parts compose (add together to create) the whole.
• The United States is composed of 50 individual states.
• The movie A.I. is composed of three sections.
• The federal government is composed of three separate branches.
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