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Guest Posted 22 years ago
Grammar
Grammar Questions
Should I say "Number of people attending" or "Number of persons attending" on my RSVP? What is the grammar rule here?
Top answer
Quoting The American Heritage® Book of English Usage: "... Some grammarians have insisted that people is a collective noun that should not be used as a substitute for persons when referring to a specific number of individuals. " "But people has always been used in such contexts, and almost no one bothers with the distinction any more.
- Quoting The American Heritage® Book of English Usage: "...
- Some grammarians have insisted that people is a collective noun that should not be used as a substitute for persons when referring to a specific number of individuals.
- " "But people has always been used in such contexts, and almost no one bothers with the distinction any more.
- Persons is still preferred in legal contexts, however, as in Vehicles containing fewer than three persons may not use the left lane during rush hours.
- '
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1 Answers
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Quoting The American Heritage® Book of English Usage: "... Some grammarians have insisted that people is a collective noun that should not be used as a substitute for persons when referring to a specific number of individuals. By this thinking you should say Six persons (not people) were arrested during the protest."
"But people has always been used in such contexts, and almost no one bothe
"But people has always been used in such contexts, and almost no one bothe
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