Comprise for Dummies

Comprise is a word that we often use to talk about things that are made up of smaller parts or components. It's like when you have a puzzle, and each piece is different, but when you put them all together, they make up the complete picture. In a similar way, when we say something comprises other things, we mean that those other things are the parts or pieces that make up the whole.

For example, imagine you have a pizza. The pizza is made up of different toppings like cheese, sauce, and pepperoni. So, we can say that the pizza comprises cheese, sauce, and pepperoni. The pizza is the whole, and the toppings are the parts that comprise it.

But here's the thing, comprise is a bit tricky because it's often used in a specific way. We say that the whole comprises the parts, not the other way around. It's like saying the pizza comprises the toppings, not the toppings comprise the pizza. Confusing, right?

To make it clearer, let's use another example. Imagine you have a bucket full of colorful blocks. The blocks are the parts, and the bucket is the whole. So, we can say that the bucket comprises the blocks. The blocks are what make up the bucket, not the other way around.

Now, it's crucial to understand that comprise can also mean to include or contain something. It's like when you have a lunchbox, and inside it, you have a sandwich, an apple, and a juice box. The lunchbox comprises the sandwich, the apple, and the juice box because it includes them or contains them.

In summary, when we use the word "comprise," we are talking about something that is made up of different parts or components. Just like a puzzle is made up of different pieces, or a pizza is made up of different toppings. We can also use it to mean that something includes or contains something else, like how a lunchbox includes a sandwich, an apple, and a juice box. Remember, the whole comprises the parts, not the other way around.