ENGLISH
REFERENCE

consist of sb/sth

phr. v..
B1 Intermediate Oxford

phr. v.. to be made of or formed from specific people or things.

phr. v.. to be composed of or made up of specific parts or members; used to describe the constituent elements of a whole.


SIMPLE

The team consists of ten players.

CONTEXTUAL

The breakfast menu consists of fresh fruit, cereal, and a selection of pastries.

COMPLEX

The committee consists of representatives from various departments who meet monthly to discuss the company's long-term sustainability goals.

Particles
of
Separability
inseparable
Pattern
consist + of + object
Usage

always used in the active voice and followed by the preposition 'of'.

Teaching tip

contrast with 'comprise' (more formal) and 'be made up of' (more common in speech); remind students that 'consist' is never used in the passive voice.

Pitfall

The cake is consisted of flour and sugar.The cake consists of flour and sugar.this verb is never used in the passive voice; use the active form instead.

© 2026 English Reference