comprise mainly of

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "comprise mainly of" is not correct in standard English usage.
The correct form is "comprise mainly" or "consist mainly of." Example: "The committee comprises mainly experts in environmental science."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

10 human-written examples

Products within major appliances comprise mainly of refrigerators, freezers, cookers, dryers, washing machines, dishwashers, room air-conditioners and microwave ovens.

Forbes

Smad ubiquitin regulatory factors (Smurfs) belong to the HECT- family of E3 ubiquitin ligases and comprise mainly of two members, Smurf1 and Smurf2.

Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA) - Reviews on Cancer

In the study area, the shore-shallow lacustrine subfacies comprise mainly of siltstones and mudstones with a variety of colors: brownish-gray, dark-purple, and dark-brown (Fig. 2).

Petroleum Science

The inhabitants of Buea comprise mainly of the Bakweri indigenes.

BMC Public Health

The last 16 ORFs in this island comprise mainly of mobile genetic elements like transposases and recombinases.

BMC Genomics

Some folds, such as the P-loop fold, the Rossmann fold and the Hsp70-like fold, have been well studied, and comprise mainly of dedicated nucleotide binding or hydrolyzing proteins [ 6- 9].

BMC Genomics

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

50 human-written examples

All these and more are scheduled to address the audience, comprised mainly of arena maintenance workers and visiting school groups.

The New Yorker

Both organisations are funded largely by members, comprising mainly of housing providers, support providers, commissioners, and advocacy and carers groups.

The Guardian

A result is an insurance pool comprised mainly of sick individuals where premiums rival the cost of rent and where the healthy forgo coverage completely.

The New York Times

In a week-long party conference comprised mainly of soporific work reports and rhetoric-heavy speechifying, unbridled emotion has emerged as a counterintuitive motif.

The Guardian

The disaffected £9.5m Spaniard was given his first start since November and against a team comprised mainly of youngsters and part-timers he still failed to impress.

The Guardian - Sport

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using "comprise mainly of" in formal writing. Opt for grammatically correct alternatives such as "consist mainly of" or "be composed mainly of".

Common error

The verb "comprise" means 'to consist of; be composed of'. It doesn't take "of" after it. Saying "comprise mainly of" is redundant and grammatically incorrect. Remember to use "comprise" followed directly by the elements that make up the whole.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "comprise mainly of" functions as a verb phrase attempting to describe the composition of something. However, Ludwig AI analysis shows it is grammatically incorrect. The verb "comprise" doesn't require the preposition "of".

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

45%

News & Media

45%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "comprise mainly of" is generally considered grammatically incorrect. Ludwig AI analysis suggests using alternatives like "consist mainly of" or "be composed mainly of" for accurate and clear communication. While the phrase appears in some contexts, especially in science and news media, it's best to avoid it in formal writing. Remember that "comprise" itself means 'to consist of', making the 'of' redundant. Pay attention to this distinction to ensure precision in your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

consist mainly of

This alternative uses "consist" instead of "comprise" and requires the preposition "of", making it grammatically sound.

be composed mainly of

This uses a passive voice construction and the verb "compose" instead of "comprise", adding a slightly more formal tone.

be primarily made up of

This option uses the phrasal verb "make up" and the adverb "primarily" to convey a similar meaning.

be largely composed of

Replaces "mainly" with "largely" for a slightly different emphasis on the extent of composition.

be mostly composed of

Uses "mostly" instead of "mainly", providing a near synonym with a slightly less formal feel.

chiefly consist of

Employs "chiefly" for emphasis and "consist of" for grammatical correctness.

primarily include

Shifts the focus to inclusion rather than composition, indicating what elements are predominantly present.

be principally formed of

This alternative uses the term 'principally' instead of 'mainly', making it slightly more emphatic. It also replaces 'comprise' with 'formed of'.

be predominantly composed of

Replaces "mainly" with "predominantly" for emphasis.

be fundamentally based on

Focuses on the foundational elements rather than the overall composition, shifting the emphasis slightly.

FAQs

What is the correct way to use "comprise"?

The word "comprise" means to consist of or to be composed of. Therefore, the correct usage is to say something "comprises" something else, not "comprises of" something else. For example, "The team comprises five members" is correct.

What can I say instead of "comprise mainly of"?

You can use alternatives like "consist mainly of", "be composed mainly of", or "be primarily made up of" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "comprise mainly of" or "comprises mainly of"?

Neither "comprise mainly of" nor "comprises mainly of" is correct. The grammatically correct alternative is to use "consist mainly of" or "comprise" without the "of".

What's the difference between "comprise" and "consist of"?

"Comprise" means to include or contain; the parts comprise the whole. "Consist of" means to be composed of; the whole consists of the parts. Although often used interchangeably, understanding this distinction can help in more precise writing. You can say "The collection comprises rare books" or "The collection consists of rare books".