Writing tip #16: Frequently misused word: comprised

‘Comprised’ and ‘composed’ have related meanings but they’re NOT interchangeable. Here’s an INCORRECT sentence construction I see often:

              ‘The deck was comprised of fifty-two cards.’

The writer here has confused the word ‘comprised’ with ‘composed’.
The following two sentences are both CORRECT:

              ‘The deck was composed of fifty-two cards.’
              ‘The deck comprised fifty-two cards.’

Here’s a tip to help you get it right: replace the word ‘comprised’ with ‘included’. Does it make sense? If so, you’re on the right track.