会話・英語　アミック Person, Persons, People and peoples

Person, persons, people and peoples.

Person
A person is a human man, woman, or child. It is a singular countable noun. 

• There was one person at the door.
• When did you see this suspicious person?
• She’s a very interesting person. You should talk to her.

People and peoples
The plural of person is people. It refers to a group or a number of human beings. It is a plural countable noun.

• There were three people at the door.
• How many people do you know?
• The people who live here are very rich.

People can also mean nation. Peoples is the plural form of this meaning. Peoples means nations.

• The Aztecs were a people that lived in the Americas.
• The English are a strange people.
• There are many peoples living on the Earth.
• When the peoples of the Earth unite, we will have peace.

Persons
Persons is a more formal, more polite form of people. It’s a plural countable noun and is most often seen written down – such as on signs, in newspapers and in the context of the law.

• This lift can hold a maximum of 15 persons.
• The police expect to catch the persons responsible for the theft.
• My client has never seen these persons before and so he is innocent.