If you’re like most people, you’ve probably been known to say something along the lines of “The content team is comprised of content coordinators, graphic designers, and media specialists.” You probably use this kind of language to achieve a more academic or professional tone, right? But, does that usage of “comprise” truly make you sound more intelligent? Or, does it make you sound foolish?
According to Merriam-Webster, “comprise” is a transitive verb meaning “to be made up of.” To give you a clearer picture of what that means, here are some synonyms: “embrace,” “contain,” and “include.” Now, think about these for a moment. You wouldn’t say “The class is included of graduates and undergraduates” or “The United States is contained of 50 states,” right? This highlights the fundamental problem with using the phrase “is comprised of.” Just like you wouldn’t say ” is embraced of,” “is contained of,” or “is included of,” you wouldn’t say “The content team is comprised of content coordinators, graphic designers, and media specialists.” Instead, you would say: “The content team comprises content coordinators, graphic designers, and media specialists.”
If you really want to follow that original phrasing for a sentence, you could simply use the word “composed” in place of “comprised.” For example, it would be correct to say: “The content team is composed of content coordinators, graphic designers, and media specialists.” Or, you could switch everything around and use “constitute”: “The content coordinators, graphic designers, and media specialists constitute the content team.” Whichever verb you decide to go with, just make sure you’re using it properly.
As you’ve probably noticed, in today’s world, it’s pretty common for people to use “comprise” incorrectly, even in formal writing or conversations. Hopefully, knowing what you now know, you won’t be one of those people in the future. Remember, the language you use is critical for excelling in your pursuits and attaining ultimate success.
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