“Contains of” or “consists of”: which is correct?
The short answer
The correct alternative is consists of when you want to talk about the components or elements making up something. Contains is used without of to indicate inclusion or holding within.
Why people get it wrong
People often make this error because they try to construct a phrase that combines elements typically not used together in English. The phrase contains of mistakenly attempts to pair contains, a transitive verb that directly takes an object, with of, a preposition, which is unnecessary and incorrect in this context.
What kind of mistake it is
It’s a grammatical error related to the incorrect use of phrase construction in English.
Examples with consists of
- The committee consists of ten members.
- The package consists of several small boxes.
- The drink contains sugar and lemon.
- The box contains various tools.
Quick check
The committee ten members.
The correct alternative is consists of when you want to talk about the components or elements making up something. Contains is used without of to indicate inclusion or holding within.
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