To compose is to put parts together and so make a new thing. A composition, then, is something that is made by putting parts together. A piece of music, a picture, a poem, or a story is a composition. In school, as you know, we use the word often-est to mean an exercise that is prepared by putting together words and sentences. But you must not think that composition is only the preparation of formal exercises. Whenever you try to express your thoughts, whether at home, on the playground, or in any one of your recitations, you are doing good or bad composition work.