Can you use the word ‘people’ and ‘persons’ interchangeably? Do they mean the same thing? This confusion often leads students to mix these terms and use them interchangeably in the wrong contexts, but after reading this article, students will understand how or when to use the words ‘people’ and ‘persons’ appropriately.
Apart from these words, there are many words present in the English Language that might seem to be similar but will have different meanings. As a result, these kinds of words seem to be confusing to students. This article will deal with all the points that will help the students understand how or when to use the words ‘people’ and ‘persons’. Once they know the meanings of these words, it will become easier for them to apply these sentences of their own. Students should go through the following points discussed below to understand the difference properly:
- Table Summarising the Difference between People and Persons
- The Difference between People and Persons – Meanings
- Examples of People and Persons
- People and Persons – Conclusion
Table Summarising the Difference between People and Persons
| People | Persons | |
| Meaning | The word ‘people’ means a collective group of human beings belonging to a particular/specific nation, community or ethnicity. | The word ‘persons’ refers to the plural of an individual human being, which means a number of individuals/human beings. |
| Usage | It is used as a Noun. | It is used as a Noun. |
| Example | We, the people of India, love our motherland very much. | There were many persons in the room. |
This table shows that though ‘persons’ and ‘people’ mean human beings, they can’t be treated as synonyms and cannot be used interchangeably always. For students who often get confused between these words, this table will help them understand how the words ‘persons’ and ‘people’ are different from one another. Once they know the difference between these words, you can apply them in the correct contexts.
The Difference between People and Persons – Meanings
If you ask someone what the difference between ‘people’ and ‘persons’ is, they will say both denote the plural forms of individuals/human beings, but that’s not just it! When the word ‘people’ is used, it refers to a particular group of people belonging to a nation/community/race/ethnicity, for example, ‘The people of West Bengal love sweets.’ In contrast, when the word ‘persons’ is used, it’s the plural of the word ‘person’, which means a number of individuals/human beings, for example, ‘There were a lot of persons involved in the marriage ceremony.’ The thing to remember is that ‘persons’ is less used and that too, mostly in some cases of formal situations. Try to remember this distinction for using these two words correctly in a sentence.
Examples of People and Persons
The following examples will help students understand the words ‘people’ and ‘persons’ clearly:
Persons – The persons responsible for the riot were caught by the police. (noun)
People – The people of Jammu Kashmir make beautifully designed handmade shawls. (noun)
Once students understand the difference between the words ‘people’ and ‘persons’, they will find it easy to use these without making errors.
People and Persons – Conclusion
In conclusion, though the words ‘people’ and ‘persons’ mean human beings, they are not synonymous and can’t be used interchangeably. This article points out the points of difference between ‘people’ and ‘persons’ to make it easy for students to use them in sentences. Also, BYJU’S offers various articles on many such ‘Difference Between’ two words that students often get confused with.
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