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ClarissaMach · Last edited by ClarissaMach on Sun Jul 02, 2006 12:40 pm; edited 1 time in total

Could somebody explain me when should I use "people" and when should I use "persons"?
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flying_pig319 · Joined: 01 Jul 2006 Posts: 369

People is used almost always.
"There are a lot of people here"
"I see some people"
"Those people are green"

Person's is used for possesion.
"That person's shirt is blue"
"I am that person's son"

Persons (without the ') is not ever used.

Hope this helps! Smile

KazAV · Posted: Sat Jul 01, 2006 11:38 pm Post subject:

Not strictly true. Persons is used when talking about numbering individuals. Mainly these days people is used, but not always. People is a collective noun but has come into common usage when people or persons should normally be used.

Mister Micawber · Joined: 23 Mar 2006 Posts: 774 Location: Yokohama

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The word also appears in official notices and similar capacity:

Elevator capacity limited to 12 persons
Missing Persons Bureau
Declaration on the Rights of Disabled Persons

Ms Google gives us 422,000,000 English pages for "persons".
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"I really do not know that anything has ever been more exciting than diagramming sentences." � Gertrude Stein
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ClarissaMach · Posted: Sun Jul 02, 2006 10:10 am Post subject:

So what, dear teachers? When should I use people and when should I use persons? I'm more used to the former, but I've read some articles with the later.

???
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Jintii · Joined: 18 Feb 2006 Posts: 111 Location: New York City

I don't know that there's a hard and fast rule for you. Wink

Persons emphasizes the individuals; people is the collective version. Also, persons is more common in jargon, like that of government documents.

You can use either word in most cases -- it's just a nuance of emphasizing the individuals or not.

ClarissaMach · Posted: Mon Jul 03, 2006 4:26 am Post subject:

Oh, I finally got it. Thanks very much!
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Lorikeet · Joined: 08 Oct 2005 Posts: 1877 Location: San Francisco

For my (American) English, "people" is an "everyday" word, while "persons" is not used for normal speech, except for official things. I might say, "How many people are coming?" but I would never say, "How many persons are coming?" for example

ClarissaMach · Posted: Tue Jul 04, 2006 3:28 am Post subject:

In fact, I found the word "persons" in an academic article. That makes sense, doesn't it?
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pugachevV · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 2295

I agree with Lorikeet. Persons is formal official/legal language for people (which is what we all say, unless we are lawyers or bureaucrats.)