person's

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "person's" is correct and usable in written English.
It is typically used to indicate possession, referring to something that belongs to or is associated with a person. Example: "Each person's opinion is valuable in this discussion."

✓ Grammatically correct

Wiki

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Or a gay person's".

Independent

One person's puce is another person's petunia".

The Guardian - Travel

"One person's car is another person's scenery".

The Guardian - Tech

One person's idealism is another person's stupidity.

The Guardian - Opinion

One person's cut is another person's cut.

The New Yorker

"One person's fellowship is another person's antagonism.

The New York Times

Take that person's name.

BBC

One person's trash is another person's science.

Science Magazine

Feel the person's skin.

WikiHow

Hold the person's nose.

WikiHow

Get the person's signature.

WikiHow

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When writing, ensure you use "person's" to show possession or association. For example, "That is the person's car."

Common error

Avoid confusing "person's" (singular possessive) with "persons" (plural) or "people's" (plural possessive). "Persons" is less common than "people". Always double-check context to use the correct form.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "person's" primarily functions as a possessive determiner, indicating ownership or association. Ludwig shows many examples where "person's" precedes nouns like "name", "opinion", or "responsibility", defining something belonging to or related to an individual. It is grammatically correct.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Wiki

43%

News & Media

34%

Science

23%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "person's" is a very common and grammatically correct possessive determiner used to indicate ownership or association with a single individual. As Ludwig confirms, it appears frequently in diverse contexts, from informal how-to guides on WikiHow to news articles in The Guardian and The New York Times. While "individual's" and "someone's" can serve as alternatives, it's important to use "person's" accurately to avoid confusion with the plural forms "persons" or "people's". By adhering to these guidelines, writers can effectively use "person's" to specify relationships and provide clarity in their communication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

individual's

Replaces "person" with "individual", emphasizing the single, distinct nature of the subject.

someone's

Uses "someone" instead of "person", indicating an unspecified individual.

anyone's

Expands the scope to include any person, rather than a specific one.

an individual's

Adds "an" before "individual's", creating a more formal tone.

a person's own

Emphasizes the personal ownership or connection.

his or her

Provides a gender-neutral alternative to possessive pronouns.

their

Uses the singular they as a gender-neutral possessive.

party's

Replaces "person" with "party", often used in legal or formal contexts.

subject's

Replaces "person" with "subject", commonly used in academic or research settings.

user's

Replaces "person" with "user", typically in the context of technology or services.

FAQs

How do I use "person's" in a sentence?

Use "person's" to indicate possession or a quality belonging to a single person. For example, "That is the "person's responsibility"" or "The "person's name" is John".

What can I say instead of "person's"?

Alternatives include "individual's" or "someone's", depending on the context and the desired level of formality.

When should I use "people's" instead of "person's"?

"People's" is the plural possessive form, used when referring to something belonging to multiple people. Use "person's" when referring to something belonging to a single person. For example, "the "people's choice" award" versus "the "person's opinion"".

Is there a gender-neutral alternative to "person's"?

While "person's" is already gender-neutral, if you need to avoid possessive pronouns altogether, rephrase the sentence to eliminate the need for a possessive. For example, instead of "the person's car", you could say "the car belongs to the person".