Peoples or People’s or Peoples’ (English Grammar Explained)

Grammar / By

Peoples is the plural for people when you are speaking of multiple groups of ethnically diverse people. People’s is the singular possessive form of people. Peoples’ is the plural possessive form of People. 

Peoples or People’s or Peoples’ are all pronounced the same way.

Because “Peoples” is usually singular, people’s’ is usually correct. 

Peoples

We use peoples when we want to make the word “people” plural. This only happens in a situation where you want to show that there are different groups of people.

The peoples of the Amazon need to be considered before cutting down more rainforests. 

People’s 

People’s is the singular possessive form of people. We use the possessive form of people when we want to show that one group of people owns something.

People’s phones are always making loud noises on the train. 

We are part of the people’s movement.

Peoples’ 

Peoples’ is the plural possessive form of Peoples. When the noun already ends in “s” and we want to make the word possessive, we need to put the apostrophe after the “s”.

The different peoples’ land is still being taken today.

In this case, we are talking about different groups of people like tribes. It is not very common to use peoples’ in English.

People’s or Peoples’ lives?

“People’s lives” is usually correct.

People’s lives are at risk.

 

Conor
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