2

What is the correct form?

There is people

There are people?

Kindly, explain your answer.

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  • Depends on the context, but most often "are" is the verb form to use because "people" designates a multitude of individuals; just tradition, I guess. Commented Sep 30, 2015 at 19:12
  • 2
    Also, if you use the singular, you should probably use "a" before "people": "There is a people" (i.e. "a nation"). Commented Sep 30, 2015 at 19:13
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    related to this question: Is “people” a countable or a non-countable noun?
    – John B
    Commented Sep 30, 2015 at 19:50
  • I'm sorry but I don't understand the dependence of the context to the question. Are there times that word "people" gets "is" and times that it gets "are" ?! If so, I would like to know and to learn. Thank you Commented Sep 30, 2015 at 19:55
  • A simple look at Oald would show you that "people" can be plural meaning persons and that there is a second use people/peoples meaning all people of one language/race etc. oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/…
    – rogermue
    Commented Sep 30, 2015 at 23:17

3 Answers 3

4

People is the plural form of person (see irregular words), therefore, it has to be referred as plural. People are always minimum two, that's why we should say:

"There are people who like to help." [Correct ✅]

rather than

"There is people who like to help." [Incorrect❎]

2

People is usually used in the sense of "multiple persons tied by some common thread", hence it's used as a plural. Why is "people" used that way, and why is "community" not used that way? I can't tell you, because I don't know myself!

Examples

We the people

The people of California vote today - as against -Every person in California voteS today

When oppressed, people rise up vs. When oppressed a person riseS up.

Hope this helps.

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i think both are right. if you use "people" as a collective noun such as "family" then you may use "is." but for the word "people" itself is considered as plural, to use "are" is more usual.

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