When to Use People vs. Persons | Merriam-Webster Many usage guides over the years have suggested that there is a clear distinction between these two words; people is used when referring to a collective group or indeterminate number, and persons serves better when referring to individuals or to a number of individuals
Person, persons or people ? - Grammar - Cambridge Dictionary We use person in the singular to refer to any human being: Joel is such a nice person She’s a person I have a lot of respect for Persons (plural) is a very formal word We only use it in rather legalistic contexts: [notice in a lift] Any person or persons found in possession of illegal substances will be prosecuted
“Persons” vs. “People” vs. “Peoples”: Which Word Is The Right Choice? 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
Persons or People? | Difference Correct Use - LanguageTool In short, persons is typically only found in legal or technical writing But if you’re referring to the plural of person as a collective noun, then the word you should use is people
Persons, People, or Peoples—When To Use Each | Grammarly Persons, people, or peoples? The plural of person should be people in the vast majority of contexts, although legalese uses the plural persons Peoples should be reserved for instances where you are referring to more than one distinct ethnic group
People vs. Persons | Confusing Words and Homonyms in English "When we say persons," says Wilson Follett's Modern American Usage, "we are thinking, or ought to be, of ones —individuals with identities; whereas when we say people we should mean a large group, an indefinite and anonymous mass "
Persons vs People | Differences, Examples Contexts People is used to talk about multiple humans or to refer to a group, and persons is used to refer to various individuals with the focus on their individuality People is the commonly-accepted plural of “person” in general English, while persons is only used in specific, formal contexts
Person People Peoples - Lingolia The plural form persons is sometimes used in official language (government documents, police reports etc ), but not in everyday speech Persons emphasises each individual person, whereas people refers to them collectively