consist of 、comprise、 make up 、constitute、 be composed of、 be comprised of 和compose以上各词均表示由某些人或事物组成，或构成某事物，都可以表示：组成，构成，由……组成（构成），含义区别不大，主要是用法有所差异。
1. consist of
指由事物、人或活动组成、构成：
consist of是这组词中最通用、也是唯一可与动词-ing形式连用，表示包含…活动的词：
My work at that time just consisted of typing letters.
我那时的工作只有打信。
Most of the fieldwork consisted of making tape recordings.
现场工作多半为进行磁带录音。
The performance consisted of dance, music and mime.
演出包括舞蹈、音乐和哑剧。
This year's event consisted of readings, lectures and workshops.
今年的活动包括读书会、讲座和研讨会。
另一个主要区别在于有些词是将整体作为主语，部分作为宾语：
The group consists of/comprises/is made up of/is composed of/is comprised of ten people.
这个小组由十个人组成。
The development will consist of 66 dwellings and a number of offices.
新建楼区将由66栋住房和一些办公用房组成。
另一些词则是将部分作为主语，整体作为宾语：
Ten people make up/constitute/comprise/compose the group.
这个小组由十个人组成。
2. consist of和compose相似。
Their diet consists largely of vegetables.
他们的日常饮食以蔬菜为主。
A healthy diet should consist of wholefood.
健康饮食应由全天然食物构成。
Our class consists of/is composed of 20 boys and 15 girls.
我们班由20位男生和15位女生组成。
My breakfast consists of/is composed of bread, jam and milk.
我的早餐通常是面包、果酱和牛奶。
Their daily diet consisted of a lump of stale bread, a bowl of rice and stale water.
他们的日常饮食包括一块不新鲜的面包、一碗米饭和变味的水。
3. comprise
既可指整体包含若干部分，也可指若干部分或成员构成整体。
A cutlery set is comprised of 6 table knives.
一套餐具有6把餐刀。
Women comprise a large proportion of part-time workers.
兼职人员中妇女占有很大比例。
The collection comprises 327 paintings.
这部画册收有327幅画。
Older people comprise a large proportion of those living in poverty.
在那些生活贫困的人中，老年人占有很大的比例。
4. compose和make up、constitute相似
由某些部分组成一个整体
Women make up 56% of the student numbers.
女生占学生人数的56%。
Ten men compose the committee.
委员会由十人组成。
A large number of firms compose the business sector of our economy.
众多商号构成了我们经济中的商业部分。
Christians compose around 2.5% of the country's population.
基督教徒大约占这个国家人口的2.5%。
People under the age of 40 constitute the majority of the labour force.
constitute指由某些部分组成一个整体。
Twelve months constitute a year.
1年有12个月。
The two parties constituted a coalition government.
这两党组成了一个联合政府。
40岁以下的人占劳动力的大多数。
Every five persons constitute a group.
每五个人组成一组。
Volunteers constitute more than 95% of The Center's work force.
该中心95%以上的工作人员是志愿者。
5.be composed of sb/sth
指由…组成、构成：
Around 15% of our diet is composed of protein.
我们的饮食中大约有15%的蛋白质。
The force would be composed of troops from NATO countries.
这支军队将由来自北约国家的部队组成。
All living things are composed of cells.
所有的生物都由细胞组成。
The committee is composed mainly of lawyers.
委员会主要由律师组成。
Water is composed of hydrogen and oxygen.
水由氢气和氧气组成。
6.be comprised of sb/sth
指由…组成、构成：
The committee is comprised of representatives from both the public and private sectors.
委员会由政府和私人部门两方的代表组成。
Ten people make up/constitute/comprise/compose the group.这个小组由十个人组成。
A cutlery set is comprised of 6 table knives.
一套餐具有6把餐刀。
掌握了以上知识点和经典例句足可以应付一切有关“组成、构成”方面的考试了。
