tons of people

USAGE SUMMARY

'tons of people' is correct and usable in written English.
It is generally used to describe a large group of people. For example: "Tons of people showed up for the festival, almost double the expected attendance."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Tons of people responded.

The New York Times

There is tons of people.

The Guardian - Music

"Tons of people," Mr. London reports.

The New York Times

"There's tons of people that talk that way," he said.

The New York Times

We're still going to have tons of people on this".

The New York Times

They rioted and the Dutch killed tons of people.

University of California, Berkeley

Remember, tons of people have gone through similar experiences.

Columbia University

"There were tons of people," he said she told him.

The New York Times

"Tons of people know how beautiful Coeur d'Alene is.

The New York Times

There are tons of people who share the same opinion as me.

The Economist

"There were tons of people sprinting to the street, trying to wave down police," he said.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "tons of people" in informal contexts to convey a large, often unspecified, number of individuals. Avoid using it in formal writing where a precise number or a more formal alternative would be more appropriate.

Common error

While "tons of people" is widely understood, it is informal. In professional or academic writing, opt for alternatives like "a significant number of people" or /s/"many individuals" to maintain a more appropriate tone.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "tons of people" is to act as a determiner phrase indicating a large quantity of individuals. Ludwig AI confirms its usage and provides numerous examples across diverse sources.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

61%

Academia

15%

Wiki

8%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Science

5%

Reference

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "tons of people" is a common and grammatically correct phrase used to indicate a large quantity of individuals. Ludwig AI indicates that is most frequently found in News & Media, Academia, and Wiki sources. While generally informal, it's crucial to consider the context when using this phrase, opting for more formal alternatives in professional or academic writing. Remember, while widely understood, "tons of people" is not appropriate for all situations.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

many people

Offers a simpler, more direct way to express the idea of a large quantity of people, omitting the emphasis provided by "tons".

plenty of people

Uses "plenty" as a synonym for "tons", suggesting an ample or abundant quantity of people.

a great many people

Employs the idiom "a great many" to convey a similar sense of abundance as "tons", offering a slightly more formal tone.

masses of people

Replaces "tons" with "masses", emphasizing the sheer volume or density of the crowd.

a significant number of people

Substitutes "tons" with a more precise adjective, "significant", emphasizing the importance of the quantity.

a large crowd

Focuses on the collective aspect, using "crowd" to describe the gathering of people, rather than emphasizing the number of individuals.

a multitude of individuals

Replaces "tons" with a more formal and descriptive term, "multitude", while retaining the core meaning of a large number.

numerous individuals

Replaces "tons" with the adjective "numerous" and "people" with "individuals", creating a slightly more formal and detached tone.

a horde of people

Conveys a sense of a large, often chaotic or unruly, group of people, adding a negative connotation not present in "tons of people".

a swarm of people

Similar to "horde", suggests a large, moving group of people, often with a slightly negative or overwhelming feel.

FAQs

What does "tons of people" mean?

The phrase "tons of people" is an informal way of saying that there are a lot of people. It implies a large, unspecified quantity.

Is it appropriate to use "tons of people" in formal writing?

No, "tons of people" is considered informal. In formal writing, it's better to use phrases like "a significant number of people" or /s/"numerous individuals".

What are some alternatives to "tons of people"?

You can use alternatives like "many people", "a large number of people", or "a multitude of individuals" depending on the context and desired level of formality.

How can I use "tons of people" in a sentence?

You can use "tons of people" to describe a place or event with a large number of attendees. For example: "Tons of people showed up to the concert last night."