Phrasal verb
be made up of sth
Definition
phrasal verb. to be formed from several different parts or people.
phrasal verb. to be composed of or constituted by specific elements or members; typically used in the passive voice to describe the structure of a whole.
Examples
“The team is made up of five experts.”
“The atmosphere is made up of several different gases, including nitrogen and oxygen.”
“The committee is made up of representatives from various departments, ensuring that every perspective is considered during the final decision-making process.”
Examples
simple
“The team is made up of five experts.”
contextual
“The atmosphere is made up of several different gases, including nitrogen and oxygen.”
complex
“The committee is made up of representatives from various departments, ensuring that every perspective is considered during the final decision-making process.”
Usage
almost always used in the passive form with 'be' and followed by the preposition 'of'.
Teaching tip
contrast with 'consist of' (active voice) and 'comprise' (formal); 'be made up of' is the most common way to describe composition in neutral speech.
Pitfall
The cake is made up by flour and eggs.
The cake is made up of flour and eggs.
the preposition 'of' is required to indicate the components of the whole.
Phrasal verb
Particles
up of
Separability
inseparable
Pattern
be + made + up + of + object