English has a way of humbling even the most meticulous grammarians. I’d venture to guess that many of us have confused or swapped “comprise” and “compose” at least once or twice. Not only do they sound similar, but both verbs deal with how parts relate to a whole. By definition, “comprise” means “consist of; be made up of,” while “compose” (when referring to elements) means “constitute or make up (a whole).” Simple, right? Not quite. In practice, the nuance between these two words can bewilder even the most seasoned writers. But there’s a trick for telling them apart, and it all depends on the order of the sentence.

Consider this example: “The U.S. comprises 50 states” vs. “The United States composes 50 states.” The first option is correct, but why? “Comprise” is used when the thing that is the whole is listed before the parts. Conversely, “compose” is used when the parts are listed before the whole. Following this rule, we can flip the previous example around for the correct usage of “compose”: “Fifty states compose the United States.” The parts (the 50 states) come before the whole (the United States).

Here’s another example. Let’s picture a bouquet of flowers. You might say, “The bouquet comprises roses and peonies” because the whole (the bouquet) comprises the parts (roses and peonies). Similarly, you’d say, “Roses and peonies compose the bouquet” because the parts (roses and peonies) compose the whole (the bouquet).

However, knowing the difference between “comprise” and “compose” isn’t the only difficulty here. Another common blunder is the phrase “is comprised of,” as in, “The bouquet is comprised of roses and peonies.” According to grammarians, this use of passive voice is never correct — it would be like saying “is sold of” instead of “sells.” However, you can say, “The bouquet is composed of roses and peonies.” (In this passive form, the previous guidance about the parts being before the whole doesn’t apply.) The mistake with passive voice likely happens because of the confusion between “comprise” and “compose,” but if neither “compose” nor “comprise” fits the bill, you might try “constitute,” a verb that means “to be (a part) of a whole.”

You might also enjoy

Grammar

Is It ‘Should Have’ or ‘Should Of’?

Grammar

How Come We Say “How Come”?

If you’re feeling swept up in the “comprise” vs. “compose” conundrum, you’re not alone, but now you know the key to determining the difference: “Comprise” starts with the whole, and “compose” starts with the parts. And you receive bonus points if you avoid the phrase “is comprised of” altogether. If this is still too tedious, there’s no shame in using tried-and-true stand-ins like “includes,” “consists of,” or “makes up” — they’re clear, correct, and easier to remember. 

Adding the suffix “-est” to a word amps up the intensity. For example, eating a hot pepper may leave a tingle on your taste buds, but eating the hottest pepper will likely have you scrambling for a jug of milk. Sometimes, however, the use of this suffix bumps up against common grammatical conceptions. Such is the case with “fun” and “funnest” — is “funnest” even a word, or is it a linguistic taboo?

If you have the time of your life on a vacation or at a party, you may be tempted to say it was the funnest experience you ever had. But some sticklers raise their brows at the comparative adjective, decrying it as too informal and perhaps not even a valid word at all. Instead, many people defer to “most fun,” lest they risk misspeaking.

But if you ask Merriam-Webster, “funnest” is a perfectly acceptable word that suffers from a lack of widespread use. People are unjustifiably trepidatious about using the superlative form of the adjective “fun.” The evidence shows  “funnest” appeared in print as far back as the 1870s, when it was used in a similar context to how people use it today. 

You might also enjoy

Grammar

Are “Fewest” and “Least” Interchangeable?

Grammar

Are You Using Adverbs Correctly?

So, even if some detractors would rather the word “funnest” not exist because it sounds like something a child would say, the word’s 150-year history can’t be denied. “Funnest” is very real, and sometimes it’s OK to use simple terms to express ourselves — especially about how much fun we’re having. 

My YouTube feed is full of food content, and lately I’ve been noticing some differences in what I call certain foods and what those same foods are called by British people. In particular, hot and ready potatoes are a popular street food in the United Kingdom, where they’re called “jacket potatoes.” To me, this calls up a mental image of cute little potatoes with googly eyes and tiny felt coats, but they’re actually what I (and most Americans) know as “baked potatoes.” The language is the same, but key vocabulary differences between British and American English dialects have always intrigued me, so I did a little more research on the difference between jacket potatoes and baked potatoes. 

While there are plenty of differences in dialects for clothing words, “jacket” as a lightweight outer garment is the same on both sides of the pond. The linguistic divide comes into play with a secondary definition for “jacket,” referring to the skin of a potato. British people refer to this particular form of potato by its skin, while those in the U.S. came to refer to it by the cooking method instead.

Though largely the same, there are some slight differences between baked potatoes and jacket potatoes. For instance, jacket potatoes are usually cooked longer than their baked brethren — sometimes over an hour to ensure crispier skin. The toppings are also different depending on the location. While Americans prefer cheese, bacon, chives, and sour cream, British people go for a broader variety of toppings: cheese, baked beans, coleslaw, and even tuna fish.

You might also enjoy

Vocabulary

30 Words We Picked Up From Cooking Shows

Language

English Dialects: British vs. American

All the differences in food terminology are fascinating, but I do have some favorites. Americans say “eggplant,” while Brits say “aubergine,” and a zucchini in New York is a courgette in London. And don’t get me started on the divide between fries and chips or cookies and biscuits. The opinions on appropriate condiments, textures, and flavor combinations could fill a book. 

If you were to ask 100 different people to pick the most beautiful word in the English language, you’d probably get 100 different answers. There’s a seemingly endless list to choose from, as some words evoke pleasant memories, while others sound mellifluous to the ear. While there’s no way to reach a universal consensus, many esteemed linguists have favorites of their own. These are a few of them.

Accomplished linguist Dr. Robert Beard compiled a list of what he personally considers to be the 100 most beautiful English words. Up first — at least alphabetically — is “ailurophile,” which appropriately sounds quite alluring. The word, which essentially means “cat lover,” is derived from the Greek ailuros, meaning “cat,” and phile, meaning “lover.” Its origins date back to the 1910s, though the word continues to make the hearts of linguists purr today. Not only does it sound pleasant, but it also evokes the beautiful connection that humans have with their beloved pets.

In 1995, wordsmith David Crystal unveiled a “matrix of criteria” that maps what makes certain words more beautiful than others. The word “tremulous” — meaning “shaking or quivering slightly” — fit every category. According to Crystal, beautiful words should contain three or more syllables, put a stress on the first syllable, and include an /m/ sound (as in “make”) and an /l/ sound (as in “all”). Six additional criteria relate to different manners of articulation and sounds made with different parts of the mouth, and “tremulous” hits every mark to a T, much to Crystal’s delight.

According to lifelong lexicographer Wilfred J. Funk, “murmuring” is one of the most beautiful English words. It’s defined as a soft, low sound, often spoken by a person or group, though the meaning isn’t the only reason it’s considered so beautiful. Rather, it’s the way the word is pronounced, with a double /m/ sound, as we touched on in the prior section. Three syllables and a wider variety of tones make “murmuring” more appealing than just “murmur.” According to Funk’s list, other beautiful words include “hush,” “lullaby,” and “luminous,” all of which sound pleasant and evoke positive feelings.

Lucy Bella Simkins, a popular British YouTuber with over 12 million subscribers,  created a video of 15 of the most beautiful English words. “Nefarious” — a word with a less beautiful meaning of “wicked or criminal” — made her list. Despite the criminal connotation, Simkins maintains the word is delightful to say and hear due to its expressiveness. She also praises the /eə/ sound in the middle, which adds to its euphonic appeal.

The British Council — a U.K. organization for cultural relations — conducted a 2004 survey among 40,000 non-English speakers to find the most beautiful word in English. The result was “mother,” beating out runners-up “passion” and “smile.” Chris Wade, the organization’s director of communications, noted, “All of us have a mother and have a reasonable idea of who that person is. It’s one piece of certainty we can have and it’s a very powerful word in a variety of cultures.” The word clearly evokes comfort in many cultures around the world, adding to its beauty.

In 1911, the Public Speaking Club of America offered a prize to challenge people to come up with the most beautiful English words, based on sound and meaning. New York lawyer James Shea submitted 21 words that were accepted, one of which was “radiance,” meaning “light or heat as emitted or reflected by something.” Both the sound and meaning of the word earned it a spot on the list, alongside “happiness” and “splendor.” “Grace” and “justice,” however, were disqualified for the harsh sounds made by the first letters.

You might also enjoy

Language

Exploring the Linguistic Roots of the Southern Drawl

Vocabulary

9 of the Silliest Words in the English Language

We’d be remiss if we left off what some consider to be the most beautiful pairing of words in the English language: “cellar door.” Many have praised this combo for its euphonious sound. Journalist H. L. Mencken called it “intrinsically musical, in clang-tint and rhythm,” while Lord of the Rings author J.R.R. Tolkien was a noted fan of its beauty. In 1963, author C. S. Lewis admitted his astonishment when he saw the phrase written as “Selladore,” which he found an “enchanting proper name.”