people's

USAGE SUMMARY

The word "people's" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to describe something that belongs to a group of people, such as "the people's choice" or "the people's rights." For example, you could say, "At the town hall meeting, the people's wishes were heard and taken into consideration."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

It's people's experiences.

Forbes

It's the people's market".

The Economist

It's a people's archive".

The New York Times

"It's a people's theater.

The New York Times

It's the people's money".

The New York Times

She's the people's horse.

BBC

"It's the white people's".

Unicef

Other people's, largely.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

It fools people's eyes.

The New York Times

It sparks people's imaginations".

The New York Times - Arts

Misreading people's thoughts.

Independent

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "people's", ensure clarity regarding which group of people you are referring to, particularly in contexts where multiple groups are involved.

Common error

Avoid using "peoples" when you intend to use the possessive form "people's". "Peoples" refers to multiple distinct groups of people, while "people's" indicates possession by a group of people.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "people's" functions primarily as a possessive adjective. It modifies a noun to indicate ownership, origin, or association with a group of people. Ludwig AI confirms this through numerous examples showing its usage in contexts like ""people's money"" or "people's rights".

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

61%

Wiki

20%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

2%

Science

2%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the term "people's" functions as a possessive adjective, commonly used to denote ownership, origin, or association with a group of people. According to Ludwig AI, the term is grammatically correct and sees frequent use in diverse contexts. Analysis of usage patterns reveals that it is especially prevalent in news and media, as well as wiki-based content. Remember to differentiate "people's" from "peoples", which denotes multiple groups. In cases where greater formality is desired, alternatives such as "of the people" may be considered. Overall, "people's" is a widely accepted and useful term for expressing collective association.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

of the people

Emphasizes origin or belonging to the general populace rather than possession.

belonging to the people

Highlights ownership by the collective, offering a more descriptive phrasing.

by the populace

Focuses on agency and control by the general public.

nation's

Specifies ownership or association with a nation rather than just "people".

society's

Indicates connection to a wider societal group, shifting focus from the individual.

public

A more direct adjective referring to things related to the general population.

community's

Refers to a smaller, more localized group than "people".

collective

Highlights the group nature, rather than ownership.

citizenry's

Relates to the rights, duties, or characteristics of citizens.

grassroots

Emphasizes the origin of something from ordinary people.

FAQs

How is "people's" used in a sentence?

"People's" is used to show possession by or association with a group of people. For example, "It's the "people's money"" indicates that the money belongs to the public.

What is a common mistake when using "people's"?

A common mistake is confusing it with "peoples", which refers to multiple distinct groups of people, rather than something belonging to a single group. Be mindful of the context to ensure you're using the correct term.

Is there a more formal way to say "people's"?

Depending on the context, you could use "of the people" or "belonging to the people" for a more formal tone. For instance, instead of "the "people's choice"", you might say "the choice of the people".

What's the difference between "people's" and "public"?

"People's" indicates possession, while "public" is a general adjective. For example, you might refer to "people's rights" (rights belonging to the people) versus "public spaces" (spaces accessible to everyone).