The meaning of words seems to change every 10 years or so. And while the meanings for some words change, others fall out of use because we consider them too formal. “Persons” fall into the latter category.
Yes, it is correct to say “persons” if you use it in the right context. “Persons” is one of the plural forms of “person,” but we only use it when writing legal documents, in law enforcement, or when referring to a group of humans as individuals and not a unit.
In this article, we will explore the right and wrong ways to use “persons” and other words you can use instead of “persons.” We will also explain the difference between “persons” and “people” and how to use countable nouns.
What Does “Persons” Mean?
“Persons” is one of the plural forms of “person,” which means an individual or human being (source). English derives “person” from the Latin word “persona,” which means “human being or assumed character,” and the French word “persone,” which means human being (source).
“Persona” also meant “a mask or false face” at one time because, in Roman theater, actors often wore masks or some type of head covering.
“Person” is a countable noun, which means you can count it using numbers. However, it has two plural forms: “persons” and “people.”
How Do You Use “Persons”?
“Persons” is the plural noun form of “person,” which means you can use the word in the same way you do any plural noun. It is a common, countable noun that follows simple grammar rules and will require a plural verb.
We can use “persons” whenever we refer to more than one “person.” However, for many people, “persons” is a strange word to hear because, unless you work in the legal world, you aren’t used to hearing it. Once upon a time, English speakers used it more widely than “people,” but today, that isn’t the case.
Now, we most often use “people” as the plural for “person.” “People” is an exception to normal plural rules because it doesn’t simply add an “s” to the existing noun and is one of those we must learn, such as “child/children,” “mouse/mice,” etc.
“Persons” is a countable noun, which means it is a noun that we can count. We often use countable nouns with quantifier or quantity words because they show how we should count the noun.
For example, we may say, “the police were looking for the five persons who saw Mary before the incident.” In this case, the quantifier “five” tells you how many individuals the police were looking for.
When Can You Use “Persons”?
You can use “persons” in two main circumstances: in a legal document and when speaking about a group of individuals. When writing public policies and rules, you can also use the word to ensure absolute clarity.
We would mainly reserve “persons” for legal writing. In this case, we need to be clear that we refer to several separate individuals and not a collective whole.
According to the law, “person” can refer to an individual human being or a corporation having the same rights and obligations as a person (source). A corporation is a legal entity or a legal person because it can do what a person can do, like sue, sign, and create contracts and own property.
We would most often use “persons” when we need to formally specify that we are referring to more than one individual. The following sentences demonstrate the use of this word:
- There are hundreds of missing persons following the floods.
- This department deals with displaced persons.
- Only eight persons are permitted in the elevator.
In What Context Can You Use “Persons”?
When writing a legal document or public notice, you can use “persons” in a context where you are referring to more than one individual. We would usually use “persons” in a formal or legal context.
When writing public notices, rules, and regulations, we would view the group the rules are for as a group of individuals and not as a unit, so you use “persons.” Consider the examples below.
- Any persons found eating in the library will be escorted from the premises
- This notice informs all persons that this is a dangerous area.
- All persons must report to the site office on arrival.
In legal documents, the law uses “persons” because it can refer to a natural person (human being) or a legal person, which includes entities that have the same rights as a natural person (source).
You can also use “persons” instead of people in a formal way, although it may prompt someone to try and correct your grammar. If speaking about a group of individuals, you could use “persons.”
Using “Persons” In a Full Sentence
Again, if you write legal documents or talk about a group of individuals, you can use “persons.” You can also use “persons” when writing a policy or a public notice.
Here are some examples:
- Jack Levi and his brother Tom were persons of interest in the murder of Colt Dunn.
- Any persons caught eating or drinking near the pool will be banned.
- There are eight missing persons cases in the small town of Kent.
- Four persons that ate the shrimp salad got food poisoning.
These examples show the different ways “persons” function today. Here, the word is in legal contexts, public notices, or official reports. Although not technically wrong, we would be unlikely to use “persons” in casual everyday conversation.
When Not to Use “Persons”
You don’t use “persons” when talking about a group collectively. You would use “persons” only when referring to more than one individual. In contrast, you use “people” rather than “persons” when referring to a group as a whole or to an ethnic group or nationality.
Here are some examples of the wrong way to use “persons”:
Incorrect: The persons that live in the house across the street are quiet.
Correct: The people that live in the house across the street are quiet.
Incorrect: Five persons came to the party dressed as nurses.
Correct: Five people came to the party dressed as nurses.
Incorrect: The Indigenous persons of the world are often overlooked.
Correct: The Indigenous people of the world are often overlooked.
What Can You Use Instead of “Persons”?
If you are writing legal text, talking about a group of individuals, or writing policies or procedures, you should use “persons.” However, if your situation doesn’t fall into those categories, there are other words that you can use.
In the right circumstances, you can use “people.” “People” refers to a group as a collective unit instead of individuals.
If you are talking about a group collectively, you can use “people” or its synonyms. For instance, if you are talking about a community, you can use:
- Mob
- Crowd
- Mass
- Populace
- Society
If you are talking about people while referring to human beings, you can use:
- Folks
- Humankind
- Humanity
- Public
And if you are talking about a group that is descendants of the same ancestor, then you can use:
- Family
- Clan
- Kinfolk
- Lineage
- Race
- Folks
- Kin
Which Is Correct: “Persons” or “Person’s”?
This depends entirely on how you are using the words. “Persons” is one of the plural forms of “person,” while “person’s” is the possessive form of “person.” Therefore, you do not use the words in the same context.
Again, you use “persons” when referring to a group of individuals and in legal documents. However, you’ll use “person’s” when you want to show ownership.
If you would like more information on using plural and possessive nouns, you can read another one of our articles, “Kids’ or Kid’s: Singular, Plural, and Possessive.”
For example, let’s examine the following sentences:
- That person’s hat flew into my yard.
- Persons unable to comply will be escorted from the premises.
In the first sentence, we use “person’s” to show ownership. A person owns the hat, so “person’s” is the right word, especially if you don’t know their name.
The second sentence exemplifies using “persons” in legal documents and policies and has nothing to do with ownership. The above sentence is clearly part of a building’s policy, so you would use “persons” and not “person’s.”
“Persons” vs. “People”
One thing that many people find irritating about English is that so many words have the same meaning. “People” and “persons” are both the plural form of “person.” While there are subtle nuances in their meanings, they mean the same thing for the most part (source).
As we have already discussed, “persons” works in legal documents, formally and when speaking about a group of individuals. “People” means “multiple humans or men and women.” It comes from the Latin word “populous,” which means “a people or nation, multitude, or crowd.”
Since the 18th century, linguists have debated when it is correct to use “people” vs. “persons,” though we have largely settled on using “people” in the past few decades. Meanwhile, we reserve “persons” for particularly formal situations.
Countable Nouns
Countable nouns like “person” occur in specific units, and we can modify them with numbers, like one dog, two lizards, four pictures, or five books (source). You use singular countable nouns with singular verbs and plural countable nouns with plural verbs.
- Alice already had a lizard, but she wanted another one.
- Mark placed five books on the table.
- She held several pictures in her hand.
- Four dogs stood on the curb, sniffing each other.
For more on countable nouns, read “Is It Correct to Say ‘Accounts’?” or “Is It Correct to Say ‘Revenues’?”
What Are Mass Nouns?
In contrast, mass nouns or uncountable nouns are those you can’t count with numbers because they are indivisible (source). In American English, we treat mass nouns as singular and use them with a singular verb.
Unlike countable nouns, we cannot modify mass nouns with quantifiers like “few” or “many” or use them with an indefinite article. However, we can modify mass nouns we can weigh or measure using a number.
There are many things that you use in your day-to-day life that fall into the category of mass nouns — for instance, water. You can’t count water, and there is typically no plural form of water either.
Therefore, water is an uncountable noun, along with “cheese,” “garbage,” “information,” “bread,” “coffee,” and “furniture.”
- The water in the lake dried up.
- The coffee was robust and had some caramel notes.
- Bread is her favorite food.
- They had to pick up the garbage in the yard.
- The new furniture looked perfect in the living room.
- She loved cheese so much she put it on everything.
As we stated above, uncountable nouns are singular, and we use them in combination with singular verbs. But other words in the sentence can answer the question of “how many?”
- I had to drink four glasses of water before I left the house this morning.
- There were three pieces of garbage in my yard.
- She had six cups of coffee this morning, which explains her jitteriness.
- The piece of furniture was too big for the room.
Collective Nouns
Not to be confused with mas nouns, collective nouns are nouns referring to a collection of people or things. In American English, we treat these nouns as singular, and we use them with singular verbs and pronouns.
But that isn’t the case with British English, where hearing the plural form of collective nouns is quite common. This article was written for strategiesforparents.com.
For example, let’s look at the following sentence:
- The team is going to play the game.
“Team” is a collective noun referring to a group of players. However, in British English, “The team are going to play the game” is perfectly normal.
Final Thoughts
Language is fluid, ever moving and evolving as time marches on. The words we say today may disappear in the next 20 years, or they may take on a new meaning. “Persons” is proof of this, along with other long-forgotten words.
Once upon a time, we used “persons” more often than “people,” but today, that is not the case. Most people only see the word “persons” when reading a legal document or a public policy. These days, “people” is the main word used when referring to more than one person.
As we have mentioned above, “person” is a countable noun with two plural forms, “people” and “persons.” You use “persons” when writing legal documents, public policies, or rules and when referring to a group of individuals. “People” works in most other circumstances.
Knowing when to use certain words can be difficult to discern, but remember, if saying “persons” doesn’t feel right or you need a collective noun, you should use “people.”
Мы живем среди людей, и очень часто нам требуется о них поговорить.
Английское слово «люди», как правило, легко запоминается. Трудности начинаются, когда требуется сказать об одном человеке. Какое же у него парное слово? И можно ли сказать «peoples»?
People
Произношение и перевод:
People [‘piːpl] / [пипл] — люди
Значение слова:
Некоторое количество людей (мужчин, женщин, детей)
Употребление:
Мы используем слово people, когда говорим о некотором количестве людей (независимо от пола и возраста). Например: Сегодня в метро очень много людей (people). Многие люди (people) передвигаются по городу на велосипеде.
Пример:
He doesn’t care what other people think about him.
Его не волнует, что другие люди думают о нем.
How many people are you going to invite?
Сколько людей ты собираешься пригласить?
I met many new people during my travel.
Я встретил много новых людей во время своего путешествия.
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Person
Произношение и перевод:
Person [‘pɜ:sn] / [пё’сн] — человек
Значение слова:
Один человек (мужчина или женщина или ребенок)
Употребление:
Мы употребляем person, когда говорим об отдельно взятом человеке. Это слово — единственное число от people. Например: Мой друг Джон – интересный человек (person). Человек (person), сидящий за рулем, должен быть внимательным.
Пример:
We found the right person for this job.
Мы нашли подходящего человека для этой работы.
The price is 10$ per person.
Плата – 10 долларов с человека.
He accidently sent an e-mail to a wrong person.
Он случайно послал е-мейл не тому человеку
Итак, мы установили, что person-people — это такая же пара, как table-tables (стол-столы) или tree-trees (дерево-деревья). Но существуют ли слова peoples и persons?
Существуют! Однако будьте внимательны: у них другое значение!
Peoples
Произношение и перевод:
Peoples [‘piːplz] / [пиплз] – народы, национальные группы
Значение слова:
Национальная группа, проживающая на определенной территории и объединенная общей историей, языком, культурой и т.д.
Употребление:
Слово peoples используется только, когда мы говорим о народах как о национальных группах (русские, испанцы, японцы, калмыки и т.д.). Например: В Африке проживает много различных народов (peoples). Что ты знаешь о коренных народах (peoples) Северной Америки?
Peoples является множественным числом от слова people, взятого в другом значении: не «люди», как выше, а «народ, национальная группа». Соответственно, people можно использовать и в единственном числе. Например: Президент обратился с речью к своему народу (people).
Пример:
This organization represents aboriginal peoples of Canada.
Эта организация представляет аборигенные народы Канады.
Some peoples of Far North are nomads.
Некоторые народы крайнего севера — кочевники.
We hope to develop peaceful relationships between our two peoples.
Мы надеемся развивать мирные отношения между нашими двумя народами.
Persons
Произношение и перевод:
Persons [p’ɜːsnz] / [пё’снз] — люди, лица
Значение слова:
Некоторое количество людей (мужчин, женщин, детей)
Употребление:
Слово persons используется только и исключительно в официально-деловом языке (законы, договоры, документы и т.д.). Его можно перевести как русское «лица». Например: Лица (persons), берущие кредит, должны предоставить ряд документов. Лицам (persons), не имеющим паспорта, вход на мероприятие воспрещен.
Пример:
Police must have a legal reason to arrest persons who are accused of having committed a crime.
Полиция должна иметь законные основание для ареста лиц, обвиненных в совершении преступления.
For persons who wish to adopt a child there are certain requirements.
Для лиц, желающих усыновить ребенка, существуют определенные требования.
There are several categories of persons entitled to citizenship.
Существует несколько категорий лиц, имеющих право на получение гражданства.
В чем разница?
Person — это «человек» (пол и возраст неважны). Например: Каждый человек (person) хочет стать счастливым. Первый человек (person), отправившийся в космос – это Юрий Гагарин.
People — это «люди», то есть, несколько человек. Например: В нашей команде было пять человек (people). На площади большая толпа людей (people).
Peoples — это «народы, национальные группы». Например: На современной территории России проживают различные народы (peoples). Коренные народы (peoples) имеют представителей в местных органах власти.
Persons — это «лица» — то есть, специальное слово, которым обозначаются люди в деловой сфере. Например: Существуют категории лиц (persons), освобожденных от уплаты налогов. Лица (persons), не имеющие гражданства, не могут принимать участие в голосовании.
Задание на закрепление
Вставьте нужное слово в следующие предложения. Свои ответы оставляйте в комментариях под статьей.
1. ___, ответственные за совершения преступления, были арестованы.
2. На вечеринке было много ___
3. ___ на автобусной остановке подсказал мне дорогу.
4. ___ до 18 лет запрещается покупать алкоголь.
5. Какие ___ проживают в Южной Америке?
6. Джон — единственный ___ в этом городе, которого я знаю.
7. Президенты должны представлять интересы своих ___.
8. Выставку посетили многие знаменитые ___.
Because languages shift over time, some words drop out of common usage and are replaced by others. This is the case with persons and people.
People and persons both refer to groups of two or more individuals. In the past, persons had referred to specific numbers, whereas people was used for general groups.
However, this distinction isn’t as strictly applied in modern English. Read on to find out why.
What is the Difference Between Persons and People?
In this article, I will compare person vs. people. I’ll use each word in a sentence, and, at the end, I’ll show you a helpful trick to remember whether you should use people or persons in your writing.
When to Use People
What does people mean? People, as a plural noun, refers to two or more individuals.
If Keri is a person and Chris is a person, then Keri and Chris are two people.
People can be used in reference to any group of two or more individuals, like in the following examples.
- Because the weather was so bad, only 700 people attended the baseball game.
- Over 3,000 people voted for the millage, but it still did not pass.
- Amanda, Catherine, and Jodi were the only three people that I knew at the party.
- Wendy’s is the latest major fast-food chain to report weaker-than-expected sales growth, with the hamburger company saying people aren’t dining out as much because it has gotten even cheaper to eat at home. –The New York Times
When to Use Persons
What does persons mean? Persons also means two or more people.
In the past, persons referred to a specific number of individuals, whereas people was used in a more general sense. You would not use persons in reference to groups of large or indeterminate size, such as a room full of students, the crowd at a football game, or the population of Sudan.
Today, the use of persons has narrowed to specific phrases, usually in a legal or law enforcement context.
If you have a small, specific number, like three bank robbers or two runaway children, you might choose to say persons of interest or missing persons instead, as the case may be.
See the following sentences as examples.
- The police are searching for three persons of interest in connection with the armed robbery of a bank Tuesday night.
- The mother filed a missing persons report for her two children.
- Two of three people investigators questioned as persons of interest Wednesday have been released, but the third remains in custody. –Chicago Daily Herald
Outside of these situations, persons is not commonly used.
Trick to Remember the Difference
It’s difficult to justify using persons outside of certain, set phrases, like persons of interest or missing persons. In contemporary English, persons sounds stilted and unnatural.
For the phrases outlined above, remember that persons is specific and both words contain the letter S. You should only use persons in specific contexts referring to a specified number of individuals.
Summary: Persons vs. People
Is it persons or people? In the past, persons referred to a specific number of individuals. Meanwhile, people was used to refer more generally to large groups, or groups whose size was not specified.
Today, people has largely replaced persons in all contexts, outside of a few set phrases. You can remember to reserve persons for small groups of a specific number of people, since persons and specific both contain the letter S.
In most cases, however, you will use people. If you are having a hard time choosing between persons or people in your writing, you can refer back to this article.
Contents
- 1 What is the Difference Between Persons and People?
- 2 When to Use People
- 3 When to Use Persons
- 4 Trick to Remember the Difference
- 5 Summary: Persons vs. People
Is it persons, people or peoples? In most cases, people is the correct term to use as a plural for the word person. The word persons is considered archaic, so unless you’re doing some legal writing, it’s best to avoid it. Meanwhile, peoples is only used to refer to distinct ethnic groups, oftentimes within the same region.
People Vs. Persons as Plurals
Both of the words people and person come from Latin, but they are each derived from different Latin words. People came from the word populus, which means “the people” and refers to a group from the same community or nation. Person, on the other hand, came from the Latin word persona, which initially meant “mask” but eventually came to refer to “an individual human.”
At one point in history, it was said that the word persons was to be used as the preferred plural whenever more than one person was referred to as a countable noun. Meanwhile, people was preferred for uncountable nouns. However, these grammatical rules never became standard. Today, the plural persons is only acceptable in legal contexts. In some cases, persons is also used to refer to humans on an individual basis, rather than a collective basis.
Examples
- Sixty people came to my Harry Potter costume party. Ten persons came dressed as either Dumbledore or Snape, but the rest of the people were all Harry Potter. (This is considered acceptable because the persons’ individual costume choices are relevant to the sentence’s context.)
- Ten people came dressed as either Dumbledore or Snape, but the rest of the people were all Harry Potter. (This is considered equally acceptable.)
The following examples are considered acceptable as well:
- More people should recycle regularly in order to save the planet.
- Why don’t more people understand that what they say affects others?
- Twenty people protested in Washington, D.C. today.
Formal Legal Writing: Persons Vs. People
The word persons is used regularly in the legal world, including law enforcement. As far as the law is concerned, nothing is collective. Therefore, persons is a helpful term. For example, groups of people are not prosecuted; individuals are. There are a few legal expressions that reflect this grammatical preference, such as “persons of interest” and “missing persons.” You’ll also see people use the word persons in formal writing that sounds legal, like public notices and rules.
Examples
- Any person or persons vandalizing private property will be fined.
- Two persons of interest are currently being questioned.
- The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department has several open missing persons cases.
- No more than eight persons can enter the hot tub at the same time.
In a political context, persons is correct within the expression “displaced persons.” For example, you might hear someone say, “Visas will be expedited for displaced persons.”
You should always avoid using the word persons outside of legal contexts. Never use persons in business settings.
Here’s an example of an unacceptable use of the word persons: “To the persons who stole my lunch from the break room: I’m watching you.” Using persons in this context sounds silly and a bit stuffy.
If you’ve used the word persons outside of a legal context, you can often replace it with the word those. For example, “Persons who use our services will be charged a fee,” turns into “Those who use our services will be charged a fee.”
People Vs. Peoples for Ethnic Groups and Nationalities
Always use the word people when referring to the people of a single nationality or ethnic group.
Examples
- The people of the United States have a right to free speech.
- Joe Biden was elected by the people of the United States in 2020.
In cases where it’s necessary to distinguish between ethnic groups within the same cultural or geographical context, peoples can be used.
- The peoples of Palestine and Israel are at war.
- The peoples of the world hold a variety of religious views.
The Bottom Line – Persons, People or Peoples?
When it comes to choosing persons, people or peoples, in the vast majority of cases, the correct plural of person is people. In legal contexts, the plural persons is used. When referring to more than one distinct ethnic group, use the word peoples.
Here is another trio of words that are often the cause of some confusion: There, Their and They’re.
Table of Contents
- Is persons a real word?
- Is 2 persons grammatically correct?
- How do you write in first person?
- What is a 3rd person omniscient?
- What are the 3 types of 3rd person?
Traditionally, persons was the correct plural of person, but people has become widely accepted as such. One rule that is sometimes used is to use persons if the number of people is countable and people otherwise. However, this is generally only used in formal and legal contexts.
Is persons a real word?
Yes, it’s a correct word. The usual plural form of ‘person’ is ‘people’. ‘persons‘ is used in legal language and in formal and written context (in official language).
Is 2 persons grammatically correct?
Both are correct, in the right context. Quite often , when making a booking, a hotel receptionist will ask you how many persons will be staying; and you would reply accordingly- two persons in single rooms or two persons in a double room .
How do you write in first person?
Here are some writing tips for how to begin your first–person story:
- Establish a clear voice. …
- Start mid-action. …
- Introduce supporting characters early. …
- Use the active voice. …
- Decide if your narrator is reliable. …
- Decide on a tense for your opening. …
- Study first–person opening lines in literature.
What is a 3rd person omniscient?
THIRD–PERSON OMNISCIENT NARRATION: This is a common form of third–person narration in which the teller of the tale, who often appears to speak with the voice of the author himself, assumes an omniscient (all-knowing) perspective on the story being told: diving into private thoughts, narrating secret or hidden events, …
What are the 3 types of 3rd person?
There are three different ways to approach third–person point of view in writing:
- Third–person omniscient point of view. The omniscient narrator knows everything about the story and its characters. …
- Third–person limited omniscient. …
- Third–person objective.
The choice to use people or persons in writing depends on the context.
In most cases, people is the accepted plural form of person.
But there are situations when it’s correct to use persons when talking about a specific number of individuals.
Peoples is a plural form of people but has limited use.
The difference between people and persons
From the early days of English literature, including Geoffrey Chaucer’s time, people was the word in common use as the plural form of person.
However, during the 18th and 19th centuries, the use of persons as a plural became more popular.
In part, it was somewhat of a class definition, as the following quote demonstrates.
As the term people is employed to designate the promiscuous multitude, it has acquired a certain meanness of acceptation which makes it less suitable than the word persons, when people of respectability are referred to.
English Synonymes Explained, George Crabb, 1818
The word slowly declined in use during the 20th century, but it was still in use without such a class connotation.
people: Where individual persons, or a number of such, are intended, this word should be discarded in favor of persons; as, “most persons are of this opinion.” People means persons collectively; as “People say.”
A Desk-Book of Errors in English, Frank H. Vizetelly, 1920
But as you can see from the graph above, from around 2000, people became the predominant plural for person.
Yet there are still uses for both words in modern English.
When to use people
In almost all cases and contexts, people is the correct word to use when referring to a group of individuals or an unknown number.
The number doesn’t matter, so you can use it from two to millions.
There were only two people ahead of me in the queue when the tickets sold out.
I’m not sure, but there must have been over 100,000 people at the protest march.
Of all the people to meet on my first day at my new job! Yes, my ex works in the same department.
I guess it might upset one or two people, but I’m happy with my decision.
You can check with your preferred style guide, but most now advise using people as the plural for person.
When to use persons
Deciding when to use persons instead of people is often because there is a clear legal context.
I’m sure you’re aware of Missing Persons reports issued by police departments.
But there are more instances where the word is appropriate.
When police comment on a crime, the use of persons is quite typical.
The police are seeking information about three persons of interest.
We have a number of persons assisting us with our inquiries.
This bus is licensed to carry thirty-five persons.
Any person or persons trespassing on this property may be prosecuted.
In contexts other than law enforcement, legal, or in contracts, persons might seem a little old-fashioned.
However, in some English-speaking countries, it may be in more common use.
Interestingly, I noticed when I was working in India that the word persons was used much more regularly than in the UK and this may well be the case for other countries where English is widely spoken. Amy Lightfoot – BBC World Service
When to use peoples
The only use for the word peoples is when referring to two or more nationalities or ethnic groups of people.
It is rare, though, because we usually talk about the people of Canada or the people of Australia in the singular.
But when it is necessary to talk about two or more, we can use peoples.
The indigenous peoples of the world celebrate an annual International Day.
It is up to all the peoples of the world to hold their political leaders to account.
The peoples of the Pacific nations are fearful of the effects of climate change.
Summary
Twenty people attended the party, but nineteen left early. How many people remained?
One person.
It’s a silly old riddle for this vocabulary choice, but it proves the point.
The correct word choice is a person for singular and people for plural.
Selecting the right word or words is a writer’s job, but there are always confusing words you need to check.
But in this case, it’s pretty easy.
Related reading: Using they as a singular pronoun.
Persons, people, and peoples: we know what they mean, but the relationship between them can be confusing. What’s the correct plural of person—persons or people? Why does people have its own plural?
Some of these questions have easy answers. But there are a number of nuanced aspects to their use, including those related to legal language, personal identity, and decisions about whether to emphasize individuals or groups. Then there are questions about capitalization, particularly for terms like people of color and Indigenous Peoples.
In this article, we’ll address the frequently asked questions surrounding persons, people, and peoples, including:
- When should persons be used instead of people?
- When should peoples be used instead of people?
- When should peoples be capitalized?
- What are the possessive forms of persons, people, and peoples?
⚡ Quick summary
Both persons and people can be used as plural forms of person. Persons is often used in formal, legal contexts to emphasize individuals as opposed to a group. People is the plural of person that’s most commonly used in everyday communication to simply refer to multiple humans. But people can also be used as a singular noun to refer to a population or particular community. The plural of this sense of people is peoples, and it’s often used in terms like Indigenous Peoples (in which it’s often capitalized since it refers to specific communities).
What is the plural of person? Persons or people?
Both persons and people are acceptable plural forms of person. They’re not necessarily always interchangeable, but there is some overlap.
The plural form people is more common. That’s because it can be used in any context to refer to multiple individuals—one person, two people (or 100 people or 8 billion people, etc.).
Usually, you’ll see persons in more formal contexts, especially in legal and technical text, as well as a few other situations.
When to use persons vs. people
Persons is especially associated with its use in legal language, in which it’s often used rather than people to ensure clarity by emphasizing that the text is referring to multiple individuals, as opposed to a group as a whole, as in Occupancy is limited to 200 persons or Any person or persons found to be in violation of these rules shall be prohibited from participating.
When persons is used in this way outside of legal texts, it has historically been regarded as overly formal or stilted—it wouldn’t be natural to say I invited 10 persons to the party, for example. Increasingly, however, there are cases in which persons is thought to be more appropriate than people for other reasons.
This is especially the case in situations when you want to talk about individuals within a group, rather than the group as a whole. In this way, persons is sometimes used with terms related to identity to emphasize individuality, such as saying Jewish persons instead of Jewish people. Regardless of intent, though, statements that are about individuals with a common identity can lead to overgeneralizations or stereotyping, so it’s always best to consider whether the individuals’ common identity is an essential part of what you’re trying to say. Choosing how to refer to people can also be informed by preferences around language that’s person-first (as in person with autism) or identity-first (as in autistic person).
More generally, the word people can also be a collective noun that refers to a specific group, nation, tribe, or community, as in We are a resilient people or The Statue of Liberty was a gift to the American people.
Learn more about collective nouns and how to use them.
When to use peoples
The word peoples is specifically used as the plural of people in its sense as a collective singular noun referring to a nation, or tribe, or other community, as in Indigenous Peoples or the many peoples of the world.
This usage emphasizes that you’re talking about several different specific groups that share a commonality. This can be important for clarity—the many people of the world means something different than the many peoples of the world.
In practical terms, using peoples in this way can help to prevent erasure and homogenization of groups that are often lumped together in ways that obscure their specific, complex identities. In this way, the term Indigenous Peoples emphasizes the vast diversity among the world’s Indigenous groups while also implying that there are, in fact, separate and distinct groups.
When should People and Peoples be capitalized?
You may have noticed that Peoples is capitalized in Indigenous Peoples in this article (and in other articles that use the term).
Capitalization is increasingly used as a form of respect and distinction for terms that relate to identity. (Dictionary.com capitalizes Indigenous across the dictionary when it relates to identity in this way, just as we do for the word Black.)
The word Peoples is most often capitalized when it follows a specific modifier, as in Hispanic Peoples and Indigenous Peoples. In cases when it’s capitalized, it is often due to the fact that it refers not to people in general but to specific, distinct communities.
Similarly, the term People of Color is also sometimes capitalized, though not always, likely because it is typically used as a broad term that encompasses more specific identities, including Black and Indigenous people, for example (relatedly, this is what’s represented in the first part of the the abbreviation BIPOC).
What are the possessive forms of person, persons, people and peoples? Where should I put the apostrophe?
Is it people’s or peoples’? Person’s or persons’? All of these are valid possessives, but they indicate different things. Here is a breakdown of each possessive form, along with examples of their use.
Person
- Possessive form: person’s (singular possessive)
- Example: One person’s trash is another person’s treasure.
Persons
- Possessive form: persons’ (plural possessive)
- Example: The suspect confessed to the theft of several persons’ social security numbers.
People
- Possessive form: people’s (plural and singular possessive)
- Plural example: Tech support should be able to fix all six people’s issues by the end of the day.
- Singular example: The French people’s love of fine food is well known.
Peoples
- Possessive form: peoples’ (plural possessive)
- Example: The goal of the festival is to celebrate many different peoples’ cultures.
Examples of persons, people, and peoples used in a sentence
Here are some examples of the ways that each word is commonly used.
- We were hoping that at least one person would apply for the job, but we received applications from 60 people!
- The person or persons who may have witnessed the incident are being sought by police.
- My partner and I, as persons with autism, have a unique perspective on the issue.
- The class will be focused on the history, peoples, and cultures of the region.
- Indigenous Peoples’ Day is a time to honor Indigenous Peoples in the Americas and around the world.