composing

/kəmˈpəʊz/ (bre, ipa) · [kəmpˈozɪŋ] /kəmˈpoʊz/ (ame, ipa) · [kəmpˈozɪŋ] /kəm-ˈpōz/ (ame, mw)

composing — verb

  • composingpresent simple I / you / we / they
  • composings3rd person singular
  • composinging-ing form
  • composingedpast simple

1. to write or create something original, particularly a musical work, a poem, or a

1.動詞及物 / 不及物B1
釋義

to write or create something original, particularly a musical work, a poem, or a formal document such as a letter or speech that has been carefully thought about

例句

Valentina composed a short piano piece for her younger sister's birthday.

compose + noun (a piece of music)

The poet sat at her desk each morning and composed three new lines before breakfast.

同義詞
  • write

    more general and less formal; used for any text, not just creative works

  • create

    broader in scope, can refer to any original work including visual art

  • draft

    suggests a first or preliminary version rather than a finished piece

反義詞
  • copy

    reproducing someone else's work instead of producing original material

文法句型

compose + noun (music / poem / letter)

compose (no object — act of musical creation)

用法筆記

Commonly used without an object when describing musical work: 'Mozart composed from the age of five.' The object (music, piece, song) is understood from context.

常見錯誤

❌I composed a difficult math test for my students.
✅I wrote a difficult math test for my students.
💡'compose' is for creative or artistic works like music, poetry, or formal documents, not for routine writing tasks.
❌She composed a short story for the competition.' (acceptable but uncommon)
✅She wrote a short story for the competition.
💡'compose' for stories is very formal; 'write' is the everyday choice.

2. to be made up of particular parts, people, or elements that together form a sing

2.動詞不及物B2
釋義

to be made up of particular parts, people, or elements that together form a single whole

例句

The committee is composed of twelve members from six different countries.

be composed of + noun (members/groups)

Water is composed of two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom.

同義詞
  • consist of

    more common in everyday English; 'be composed of' is more formal

  • be made up of

    the most neutral, everyday alternative

  • comprise

    more formal; can be used actively (the whole comprises the parts)

文法句型

be composed of + noun

用法筆記

Almost always in the passive voice: be composed of. Not used in progressive forms (is composing of is incorrect). For everyday mixtures (cakes, drinks), prefer 'made of' or 'made from'.

常見錯誤

❌The class composes of thirty students.
✅The class is composed of thirty students.
💡the active form 'composes of' does not exist; use 'be composed of' with the passive.
❌The salad is composing of lettuce and tomatoes.
✅The salad is composed of lettuce and tomatoes.
💡never use the progressive form with this sense.

3. to serve as the elements — such as people, components, or qualities — that toget

3.動詞及物B2
釋義

to serve as the elements — such as people, components, or qualities — that together form a larger structure or group; for example, several chapters making up a book, or different ethnic groups forming a population

例句

Women compose more than half of the workforce in this industry.

compose + noun (portion of a whole)

Eight short stories compose the entire collection published last spring.

同義詞
  • constitute

    more formal and the most precise synonym for this sense

  • form

    slightly less formal; works in the same active pattern

  • make up

    the everyday, informal alternative

文法句型

compose + noun (parts that form a whole)

用法筆記

This is the active counterpart of sense 2. Sense 2 describes what the whole contains (The team is composed of players), while sense 3 describes what the parts do (Players compose the team). Distinguish by subject: parts as subject → sense 3; whole as subject → sense 2.

常見錯誤

❌The committee composes of twelve members.
✅Twelve members compose the committee.
💡in this active sense, the parts (not the whole) are the subject.
❌The system is composing three modules.' (using progressive for sense 3)
✅Three modules compose the system.
💡this sense describes a state, not an action in progress.

4. to bring your emotions back under control after a moment of strong anger, upset,

4.動詞及物B2
釋義

to bring your emotions back under control after a moment of strong anger, upset, or worry, so that you feel calm again

例句

Theo took several deep breaths to compose himself before walking into the interview room.

compose + reflexive pronoun (oneself)

Soraya wiped her eyes and tried to compose herself before answering the phone.

同義詞
  • calm oneself

    more direct and everyday; 'compose oneself' is slightly more formal

  • settle oneself

    implies regaining mental focus as well as emotional calm

  • collect oneself

    emphasises gathering scattered thoughts and feelings

反義詞

文法句型

compose + reflexive pronoun (oneself)

compose + possessive + thoughts

用法筆記

Always reflexive — the subject and object refer to the same person. The most common pattern is 'compose + myself / yourself / himself / herself / themselves'. Not used for calming another person down.

常見錯誤

❌She composed the crying child.
✅She composed herself before speaking to the child.
💡this sense is always reflexive; use 'calm down' or 'soothe' for calming another person.
❌He composed his emotions quickly.' (possible but unusual)
✅He composed himself quickly.
💡the standard object is the reflexive pronoun, not the emotion itself.

5. to deliberately control your facial expression, voice, or overall appearance so

5.動詞及物B2
釋義

to deliberately control your facial expression, voice, or overall appearance so that others cannot see that you are upset, angry, or shocked

例句

Tanvi composed her expression before turning around to face the waiting audience.

compose + possessive + expression/features

The politician composed his features into a calm mask despite the bad news.

同義詞
反義詞

文法句型

compose + reflexive pronoun + to-infinitive

compose + possessive + (features / expression / face)

用法筆記

Distinguish from sense 4 (CALM DOWN), which describes actually becoming calm internally. This sense describes putting on a calm appearance externally, regardless of internal feelings. Often paired with features, expression, face, or voice as the object.

常見錯誤

❌He composed to look calm.
✅He composed his expression to look calm.
💡the verb needs an object (the expression, features, or reflexive pronoun).
❌She composed herself from crying.
✅She composed herself to hide her tears.
💡'compose oneself' describes controlling your appearance, not stopping an action; use 'stop' or 'prevent' for the latter.

6. to arrange written material, images, or text elements on a page in a neatly orde

6.動詞及物C1
釋義

to arrange written material, images, or text elements on a page in a neatly ordered layout before printing or digital publication

例句

The magazine pages were composed by a team of experienced layout designers.

passive: be composed + by [agent]

Before computers, printers composed each page by hand using small metal letters.

同義詞
  • lay out

    the modern, everyday term for arranging elements on a page

  • arrange

    more general; can apply to any ordering task

  • format

    common for digital document preparation

  • set type

    the traditional term; still used in professional printing

文法句型

compose + noun (page / text / type)

用法筆記

Now much less common due to desktop publishing software. Most often encountered in historical contexts ('Gutenberg composed the first printed Bible') or specialised printing discussions. The noun composition is more frequent than the verb in this sense.

常見錯誤

❌I composed the report in Word.' (overlapping with sense 1)
✅I formatted the report in Word.
💡for digital document formatting, 'format' or 'lay out' is clearer than 'compose', which sounds old-fashioned.
❌She composed the page with a modern design.' (vague)
✅She composed the page using a two-column layout with images.
💡when using this sense, be specific about the arrangement.