Comprised Of – How To Spell It & The Correct Preposition

Learning how to spell English words can be a challenging task for students, especially when it comes to certain words. This can be due to differences in spelling compared to similar words in other languages, or inconsistencies in pronunciation. One of the most common spelling mistakes is with the phrase “comprised of”. In this guide, we will provide a detailed overview of how to spell this phrase correctly, along with some sample sentences.

The correct spelling of “comprised of”

The word “comprise” is a verb. It’s used to indicate the inclusion or combination of parts or elements to form a whole. When using “comprise”, you are describing the relationship between the entire and its constituent parts. Another word for “comprise” is “to be made up of” or “composed of”.

“Comprised of” is a common phrase used in everyday language, which is why many people say it should be treated as standard English. However, most style guides and language purists argue that “comprised of” is incorrect, as they suggest that “comprise” should not be followed by “of”. This is because “comprise” in the passive voice already means the same thing it expresses in the active voice. In summary, use “comprise” without the preposition “of” in academic writing to avoid any potential mistakes. For everyday speech, you can continue using “comprised of” if you’ve already established it in your language.

If you are unsure, use “comprise” without “of” to be on the safe side. Instead of making the mistake and pairing the verb “comprise” with a preposition, you can use multiple synonyms for the word that do use “of”. Here are a few examples.