composition

composition — noun

1. a musical work created by a composer — anything from a brief piano melody to a f

1.名詞B1
釋義

a musical work created by a composer — anything from a brief piano melody to a full symphony written for a concert hall or recording.

例句

Élise played her new composition on the piano for the music class.

possessive + composition + played for [audience]

The orchestra performed a short composition by a young Brazilian composer.

同義詞
  • piece

    more general; can refer to any musical work, not necessarily formal

  • work

    more formal; often used for classical or serious compositions

  • opus

    very formal; refers to numbered works by major classical composers

文法句型

someone's + composition

composition + by + composer

composition + for + instruments

常見錯誤

❌He wrote a composition of the school song.
✅He wrote a composition called the school song.
💡'composition of [title]' is not idiomatic; use 'composition called [title]' or 'composition for [instruments/occasion]'.

2. the activity or craft of creating music, from inventing tunes to organising them

2.名詞B1
釋義

the activity or craft of creating music, from inventing tunes to organising them into a finished work for different instruments.

例句

Sumin is studying music composition at a conservatory in Taipei.

studying + composition + at [institution]

The course covers composition, music theory, and basic piano skills.

同義詞
  • composing

    more casual; describes the act itself rather than the formal discipline

  • songwriting

    narrower; refers only to writing songs with lyrics

  • musical creation

    very broad; includes both composition and improvisation

文法句型

composition + as a subject

study + composition

in + composition

用法筆記

Uncountable in this sense — you cannot say 'a composition' when referring to the activity. Use 'a piece of music' or 'a composition' (sense 1) for a finished work.

常見錯誤

❌She is learning composition at school and wrote a composition yesterday.' (two senses confused)
✅She is learning composition at school and wrote a short piece for the piano yesterday.
💡reserve 'composition' (sense 2) for the process; use 'piece' or 'composition' (sense 1) for the finished work.

3. how objects, shapes, and colours are placed within a painting, photograph, or ot

3.名詞B2
釋義

how objects, shapes, and colours are placed within a painting, photograph, or other image — for instance, whether the main figure sits at the centre or near the edge.

例句

The photographer adjusted the composition before pressing the shutter.

adjusted the composition of [visual work]

In this painting the composition draws the viewer's eye toward the window.

同義詞
  • layout

    more practical; used for design, documents, and web pages rather than fine art

  • arrangement

    broader; can refer to any placement, not just visual art

  • framing

    specific to photography and film; focuses on what the camera includes

文法句型

the composition of + [artwork]

composition + in + [medium]

常見錯誤

❌The composition in the music was beautiful.' (ambiguous — could mean sense 1 or 2)
✅The composition of the photograph was beautiful.
💡when discussing visual art, pair 'composition' with a clear visual-art noun such as 'painting', 'photograph', or 'drawing'.

4. a brief written text on a given topic that a student produces as part of a schoo

4.名詞B1
釋義

a brief written text on a given topic that a student produces as part of a school or college assignment.

例句

The teacher asked the class to write a composition about their summer holidays.

write a composition about [topic]

Niran's composition on climate change received the highest grade.

同義詞
  • essay

    more common in American English and at university level; often longer and more formal

  • paper

    used for longer academic writing assignments at college or university

  • assignment

    broader; refers to any task given by a teacher, not just a written one

文法句型

write a composition + about + topic

a + [number]-word + composition

用法筆記

British English: used from primary through secondary school. American English prefers 'essay' at all levels, though 'composition' still appears in some classroom contexts.

常見錯誤

❌I wrote a composition for my boss.' (wrong context)
✅I wrote a composition for my English teacher.
💡'composition' in this sense is limited to school exercises, not professional or workplace writing.

5. what something consists of — the different substances or elements present in it,

5.名詞B2
釋義

what something consists of — the different substances or elements present in it, together with their proportions; for example, the gases that form the air, or the minerals inside a rock.

例句

The chemical composition of the tablet was tested in the laboratory.

chemical composition of [substance]

Baraka examined the composition of the soil before planting vegetables.

同義詞
  • makeup

    less formal; common in everyday English ('the makeup of the team')

  • constituents

    more technical; used in scientific and formal writing

  • structure

    focuses on how parts are organised, not just what they are

文法句型

the composition of + [substance/system]

chemical composition of + [substance]

用法筆記

Often used with 'chemical' or a domain label ('mineral composition', 'nutritional composition'). Frequently followed by 'of + [thing]' to specify what is being analysed.

常見錯誤

❌The composition of cake is flour, sugar, and eggs.' (unnatural)
✅The ingredients of a cake are flour, sugar, and eggs.
💡'composition' is formal and technical; use 'ingredients' for food recipes and everyday mixtures.