Peoples is a plural collective noun. The word “peoples” actually referrals to one or more groups of persons. To make a plural word, ending in “s”, plural, one simply adds an apostrophe after the word; thus, the correct form is as follows: peoples’.
When to use peoples?
People should always be used when a collective noun referring to the entirety of a group or nation (i.e., 'the French People') is called for. For references to groups of a specific or general number, either people or persons may be used, but modern style guides tend to prefer people where earlier guides preferred persons, especially for countable groups.
Why do people put an apostrophe before a name?
- It is a punctuation mark. (/:;,”’?)
- It is not a plural marker. Eg: She kicks the ball. Or The cat remains silent.
- It is use to denote belongingness. Eg: This
What are the 3 uses of apostrophe?
Apostrophe Rules: The Three Functions of Apostrophes in Written English
- Apostrophes. Just as all punctuations marks ensure the clarity of writing for readers, apostrophes function to clarify the function of nouns by indicating possession and showing omissions.
- Possessive Nouns. Use apostrophes to form possessive nouns. ...
- Contractions and omissions. ...
- Pluralize lowercase letters and words used as words. ...
- Printable Download. ...
How to check your apostrophes are correct?
Introduction to apostrophes
- Apostrophes are used for two main jobs, showing possession and showing .
- Apostrophes for possession show that a thing belongs to someone or something. For example Anna’s book or the school’s logo.
- Apostrophes for omission show where something, usually a letter, has been missed out to create a contraction . For example, haven't rather than have not.
Which is correct peoples or people's?
Both words are plural, and both are in the possessive form. However, people's is the possessive of the word people — the plural of person. In contrast, peoples' is the possessive of the word peoples — used to refer to groups of people.Aug 9, 2020
Where does the possessive apostrophe go in peoples?
To make a plural noun possessive (if it ends in -s), the rule is to add an apostrophe (after the -s). The cats' paws were covered in dirt. So, what's up with people? PEOPLE is a plural noun, but it does not end in -s, because it is one of those irregular nouns (like geese, children, women etc).Mar 5, 2014
Is there such a word as peoples?
“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.
Can you use people's?
Peoples is used when we talk about two or more different ethnic groups. For example, "All the 14 distinct peoples (native groups) of the continent were part of the survey". Whereas People's is not the plural form.Jul 13, 2016
What is the difference between peoples and peoples?
The word people means a collective group of human beings belonging to a particular/specific nation, community or ethnicity. The word peoples, on the other hand, refers to the plural of the word people. It's used to denote groups of people belonging to different communities, nations etc. It is used as a Noun.
Is 2 persons grammatically correct?
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 a number of individuals).
What is Goose plural?
1 goose /ˈguːs/ noun. plural geese /ˈgiːs/
Why is peoples a word?
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.Oct 11, 2021
Can I say 4 persons?
You could say "Starter for 4 persons" or "Starter for 4 people", although in the context of a restaurant menu, it would (in my opinion) be slightly less awkward-sounding to use persons rather than people. The word people is more of a collective.Aug 4, 2018
When to put apostrophe after "people"?
If you are speaking about a group of people, large or small, you put the apostrophe after "people." You put the apostrophe after the possessor, which in this case is "people." So the sentence is: I correct other people's grammar mistakes.
Is "people" plural or singular?
The plural of people is peoples and is used when you talk about several groups of humans, usually several ethnic groups: The peoples of Asia are vary varied. It is not used very often, so usually you will use the singular. People is the correct word.
Can you use "people" as a plural noun?
Also Know, can we write people's? So basically, both person and people can be used as singular nouns, people can be used as a plural noun and persons and peoples are also acceptable plural forms. I would say that these days, using people as a singular noun and both peoples and persons are fairly uncommon and do sound quite formal.
Why do we add an apostrophe and an s in a sentence?
In this case, we add the apostrophe and the “s” to indicate possession, almost as if the noun were singular. This sounds very confusing, but these examples may make it easier to understand:
How to show possessive form?
There is a simple rule that governs how to show the possessive, and in most cases, it is through the possessive apostrophe (’). When a noun is singular, we show the possessive by adding an apostrophe “s” (‘s) onto the end of the noun ( source ).
What does "s" mean in plural?
Plural nouns usually end with an “s.”. This applies to plurals from most of the groups we discussed above, including the most common plurals formed by adding “s” or “es” to the end of a word. But it also applies to the irregular pattern plurals we discussed above ( source ).
How to make plurals in English?
The most common way to create plurals in English is to add “s” onto the end of the singular noun ( source ). These examples will help you remember what this looks like:
What is the difference between "peoples" and "peoples"?
Understanding the difference between people’s and peoples’ comes down to the context. Both words are plural, and both are in the possessive form. However, people’s is the possessive of the word people — the plural of person. In contrast, peoples’ is the possessive of the word peoples — used to refer to groups of people.
What is the meaning of the word "peoples"?
Individuals use it to refer to indigenous or pre-colonial populations defined by culture, ethnicity, or language ( source ). For example: Indigenous peoples have close connections to their ancestral lands and traditions.
When do we add es to the singular?
When the singular ends with – s, – ss, – z, – ch or -x, we add -es onto the end.
What is an apostrophe in Wikipedia?
Apostrophe. ’. '. Typesetter's apostrophe. Typewriter apostrophe. The apostrophe ( ' or ’) is a punctuation mark, and sometimes a diacritical mark, in languages that use the Latin alphabet and some other alphabets.
Why do we use an apostrophe in English?
The apostrophe is used in English to indicate what is, for historical reasons, misleadingly called the possessive case in the English language. This case was called the genitive until the 18th century and (like the genitive case in other languages) in fact expresses much more than possession. For example, in the expressions "the school's headmaster", "the men's department", and "tomorrow's weather", the school does not own/possess the headmaster, men do not own/possess the department, and tomorrow does not/will not own the weather. In the words of Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of English Usage :
What does an apostrophe mean in a sentence?
An apostrophe is used in time and money references in constructions such as one hour's respite, two weeks' holiday, a dollar's worth, five pounds' worth, one mile's drive from here. This is like an ordinary possessive use. For example, one hour's respite means a respite of one hour (exactly as the cat's whiskers means the whiskers of the cat ). Exceptions are accounted for in the same way: three months pregnant (in modern usage, one says neither pregnant of three months, nor one month (')s pregnant ).
What is an apostrophe in a transliteration?
In transliterated foreign words, an apostrophe may be used to separate letters or syllables that otherwise would likely be interpreted incorrectly. For example:
Where did the apostrophe originate?
The shape of the apostrophe originated in manuscript writing , as a point with a downwards tail curving clockwise. This form was inherited by the typographic apostrophe, ’, also known as the typeset apostrophe (or, informally, the curly apostrophe ). Later sans-serif typefaces had stylised apostrophes with a more geometric or simplified form, but usually retaining the same directional bias as a closing quotation mark.
When to use apostrophes before plural?
The same use of apostrophe before noun plural -s forms is sometimes made by non-native speakers of English. For example, in Dutch, the apostrophe is inserted before the s when pluralising most words ending in a vowel or y for example, baby's (English babies) and radio's (English radios ).
When was the apostrophe first used?
The apostrophe was first used by Pietro Bembo in his edition of De Aetna (1496). It was introduced into English in the 16th century in imitation of French practice. Introduced by Geoffroy Tory (1529), the apostrophe was used in place of a vowel letter to indicate elision (as in l'heure in place of la heure ).
When do you use an apostrophe?
The use of the apostrophe to express when something belongs to someone comes from when English words used to change their endings according to their job in a sentence (that' s called declension). In the past, when someone owned something, the fact that they own the thing was expressed by adding "-es" to the word referring to them - so it would have been "an individual e s personal life" (though the words themselves would have been different of course).
When should an apostrophe be added after the s?
Any word ending with an "s" should have an apostrophe after the s when something is belonging to the person or thing described by the word.
Is there an apostrophe for "e"?
Over time, this ending got shortened and an apostrophe came to be used instead of that "e". The apostrophe is now used to express ownership. It is not used to pluralise nouns. If you were to say "individuals prefer their private life to be respected", there would be no apostrophe because nothing is belonging to the individual.
Is possessive an apostrophe?
So as noted, possessive = apostrophe, not = no apostrophe (in general; I'm not a linguist however and English grammar gets...weird...sometimes...). The latter case seems more unusual these days as people normally phrase it in a different, albeit equivalent, fashion.
Do you put an apostrophe after "s"?
Any word ending with an "s" should have an apostrophe after the s when something is belonging to the person or thing described by the word.
Do you need an apostrophe in a sentence?
For all of the example sentences you gave, an apostrophe is required.
Do all words have apostrophes?
It has nothing to do with the words, all words can have or not have apostrophes depending on the word's function in the sentence. Some of those will have apostrophes and others won't. A possessive will have them, a plural not.
Why is it called the grocer's apostrophe?
Sometimes, it’s called the grocer’s apostrophe because of how frequently it is spotted in grocery store advertisements ( 3 orange’s for a dollar! ). Don’t do it! With very few exceptions, apostrophes do not make nouns plural.
Is an apostrophe a punctuation mark?
Apostrophes with Surrounding Punctuation. An apostrophe is part of the word it belongs to, so it should not be separate d from the word by periods, commas, question marks, or any other punctuation mark.
Is "grocer" an apostrophe?
Apostrophes and Plurals. Using an unnecessary apostrophe to form the plural of a noun is a very common mistake. Sometimes, it’s called the grocer’s apostrophe because of how frequently it is spotted in grocery store advertisements ( 3 orange’s for a dollar! ). Don’t do it!
Do you add an apostrophe to a possessive?
The rules about forming possessives probably cause the most apostrophe confusion. They vary a little bit, depending on what type of noun you are making into a possessive. Here are the rules of thumb: For most singular nouns, add apostrophe+s: For most plural nouns, add only an apostrophe :
Can you use possessive pronouns in joint constructions?
Using possessive personal pronouns in joint constructions often sounds awkward ( You have their and my gratitude ). Usually, the best solution is to rephrase the sentence to avoid the joint construction ( You have our gratitude or You have their gratitude and mine ).
Do you add an apostrophe to a singular noun?
Style guides vary in their recommendations of what to do when you have a singular proper noun that ends in s. Some recommend adding only an apostrophe :
Do apostrophes make nouns plural?
With very few exceptions, apostrophes do not make nouns plural. The one notable exception to this rule is the plural form of lowercase letters, which are formed with an apostrophe to prevent misreading: Don’t forget to dot all your is. Don’t forget to dot all your i’s.
How to use apostrophes in 11 easy steps?
How to Use Apostrophes in Eleven Easy Steps. Do not use apostrophes to indicate plurality. Use an apostrophe before the s to indicate ownership. Use an apostrophe before the s to indicate membership. Use an apostrophe after the s to indicate collective ownership.
When to use an apostrophe?
Use an apostrophe to indicate contractions. It’s means “it is”. Use an apostrophe before the s at the end of a list of owners or members. When a singular noun ends in s, still use ‘s to indicate possession and membership unless otherwise requested. Use an apostrophe to indicate omissions.
How many possessive apostrophe rules are there?
We have now covered the most basic possessive apostrophe rules. These are your eight rules to live by. It’s best to get these ones right as they’ll serve you well in your studies. Let’s recap:
What is the biggest apostrophe?
The biggest apostrophe make is the use of apostrophes for plurals. Apostrophes do not indicate plurality. One girl makes two girls, not two girl’s. One glass makes two glasses, not two glass’s. No, no, no.
What is the apostrophe before the s?
The apostrophe goes before the s if it’s one person who is the owner or member of something; and the apostrophe goes after the s if it’s multiple people who are the owners or members of something.
When do you put an apostrophe on something?
When one person owns something, we use an apostrophe then an s. This is the most common way that apostrophes will be used, and the easiest rule to remember. If you own it, put an apostrophe on it. The technical word for this is ‘possessive apostrophe’. Let’s take a look:
Why are some words irregular?
This means that for some reason our ancestors made unique words to signify ‘many’ of a particular name or object. Here’s some examples:
The Apostrophe Rule
- Let me start off by giving you a reminder of what your English teacher tried to explain to you when you were busy throwing aeroplanes at the back of the class. There are two places you will use an apostrophe. The first one being abbreviations. When you want to make two words into one word, For example, instead of saying “you are”, you can shorten it to simply “you’re”. One word that has …
Etymology
- The word “People” has an etymology that most of us won’t know about. Even though knowing where words come from won’t be a matter of life and death, it’s still useful to understand why we speak the way we do. Our word “people” came from the Ango-French “peple”. That word came from the Old French “Peupel”, meaning mankind. And that word came from the Latin “populous” …
People’s
- Most of the time, we should be using “people’s”. The object of this sentence is owned by a group of people. Although people are a group, when we say “people’s”, we are treating all of them as a single entity. A great example would be Princess Diana, who was described as the “people’s princess”. She was a princess who was “owned” by the general public. If we were to describe he…
Peoples’
- Although unlikely, you may see the word “peoples'” being used correctly. This is when we’re talking about ethnic or national groups. For example, I might say “Despite what the racists think, this is all the peoples’ planet”. The apostrophe should not be used when talking about the plural. However, as we mentioned earlier, words that end in S should...
Are All Humans people?
- No
Some would argue that “people” and “humans” are not the same thing. “Human” is a scientific word, and “people” is a philosophical one. Anyone with human DNA is human. However, there are different criteria to be a “person”. For example, some would argue that to be a person, you need t… - Yes
On the other side of that argument, some would argue that if you are a human, you are automatically a person. They would argue that once we start deciding who is or isn’t a person, that can take us down a very dark path. For example, during the trans-Atlantic slave trade, people wo…
People vs Persons
- An alternative to “people” is “persons”. If we used this word, Lady Diana would have been known as the “persons’ princess”. But we rarely use the word “persons”. Why is this? Firstly, you can. It would not be grammatically incorrect to say “persons”. However, many would see such a word as being old fashioned and too formal. So there is not much point in using it. However, there are so…
Why Is “People’S” So Popular?
- The word “people’s” has found its way in our language a lot. The best example I can think of is the one I gave earlier where Dianna was described as the “people’s princess”. Donald Trump likes to think of himself as the “people’s president”. Why are so many people keen to be the “people’s person”? Firstly, it makes you sound relatable. You’re not some toff who spends all his time in hi…
Conclusion
- Should we be saying “people’s” or “peoples'”? When talking about the plural of person, we say “people’s”. Lady Dianna was the “people’s princess”. But when talking about ethnic or national groups, we would say “peoples'”. “The European peoples’ are incredibly diverse”. If you’re in any doubt, just remember “possessive not plural” with the apostrophe. And if it’s both, it goes after th…
The Confusion of Plurals
The Possessive Apostrophe
- In English, the possessive form is a way of showing ownership. There is a simple rule that governs how to show the possessive, and in most cases, it is through the possessive apostrophe (’). When a noun is singular, we show the possessive by adding an apostrophe “s” (‘s) onto the end of the noun (source). Consider these examples: The bat belongs to the boy. → The boy’s bat. The hat b…
OK, So What About People’s and Peoples’?
- Now that you understand how the plural and possessive forms work, you can apply this logic to the difference between people’s and peoples’. Remember that the word people is the plural of the word person. As we’ve already seen, when the word person is in the possessive form, we add an apostrophe “s” (‘s) to the end of the word as follows: The dog be...
Final Thoughts
- Navigating the complexities of English grammar can be like trying to find your way through a minefield. However, the rules are different when it comes to the very irregular plurals that are completely different from their singular forms. But becoming familiar with some of the general patterns that govern language forms like the plural and the possessive does help you to make e…