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Thanks, Adam. There are two RSS buttons in the right column: one just above my picture and one in the “Continue the Conversation” section just below my picture. Both go to http://feeds.feedburner.com/thewritingresource/fyzt. Cheers!

Hi, T. Although comprise and compose have an overlapping definition, this is not that definition. Comprise means “to consist of,” “to contain,” or “to compose [or] constitute,” according to the American Heritage Dictionary, and all the dictionaries that I checked (including the massive Oxford English Dictionary) agree.

Compose means “to make up the constituent parts of,” “to make or create by putting together parts or elements,” “to create or produce (a literary or musical piece),” “to make (oneself) calm or tranquil,” “to settle or adjust; reconcile,” or “to arrange aesthetically or artistically,” also according to AHD. The first definition is the one comprise and compose share, but it’s the third definition that your coworker intends when he or she writes a letter.

Your coworker composes a letter, which may comprise a lot of details.

Thanks for your question!

I think it’s human nature: it’s easier to ask someone than do the research. I remember working in offices with other copyeditors, and we’d routinely pick each other’s brains rather than open a book or browser window. I like the questions because they keep me thinking and learning.