a group of people vs a group of persons

Both 'a group of people' and 'a group of persons' are correct, but 'a group of people' is more commonly used in English. 'Persons' is a more formal term and is typically used in legal or official contexts.

Last updated: March 23, 2024 • 5930 views

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English.

"a group of people"

This phrase is the more common way to refer to a collection of individuals. It is suitable for both formal and informal contexts.

Examples:

A group of people gathered in the park for a picnic.
The survey was conducted with a group of people from different backgrounds.
She enjoys working with a group of people who share her interests.
The event attracted a large group of people.
They formed a group of people dedicated to environmental conservation.

Show examples from the web [+]

I have never worked with a group of people so unprofessional before.
You're with a group of people exploring a cave.
She didn't need a group of people around her.
Just a group of people that call themselves crime fighters.
Never heard of a snow leopard attacking a group of people before.
There's a group of people in Kenya.
Somebody somewhere, a group of people, starts clapping in rhythm with my steps.
It was just a group of people walKing behind a banner for Matthew Shepard.
And so he's assembled a group of people.
It could also have been a group of people, though.
They are a group of people who want to start a co-op to produce Fair Trade coffee.
There's a group of people who I believe may have killed Bill Anderson's family, and they're still trying to kill him.
It's a group of people who are interested in this sort of thing.
I just wanted to rally a group of people she went to school with, like her friends and...
Or Professor DeSalvo was targeted by a group of people he vastly underestimated, in which case the money was given and then taken back and nobody owes anybody anything.
You have a group of people investigating a story, they're the white team.
Well, I've been working on this idea about a group of people with all these brain abnormalities.
We are a group of people trying to have a nice, private evening.
You see, on the surface we seem like just a group of people from diverse backgrounds who have become unlikely friends.
No. I'm with a group of people back on the main island.

Alternatives:

a crowd
a gathering of individuals
a collection of individuals
a cluster of individuals
a throng of people

This phrase is correct but less commonly used in everyday English.

"a group of persons"

'A group of persons' is a more formal term and is often used in legal or official contexts. It can be used interchangeably with 'a group of people' in these contexts.

Examples:

The committee is composed of a group of persons with expertise in various fields.
A group of persons was selected to represent the organization at the conference.
The document was signed by a group of persons authorized to do so.
The jury is made up of a group of persons from the community.
A group of persons was responsible for overseeing the project.

Show examples from the web [+]

Stock-market transactions agreed on in advance and carried out within a group of persons capable of being insider dealers
Publicly inciting to violence or hatred directed against a group of persons or a member of such a group defined by reference to national or ethnic origin is one of the acts that shall be punishable.
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission (1), drawn up after obtaining the opinion of a group of persons appointed by the Scientific and Technical Committee from among scientific experts in the Member States,
The basic standards shall be worked out by the Commission after it has obtained the opinion of a group of persons appointed by the Scientific and Technical Committee from among scientific experts, and in particular public health experts, in the Member States.
This Directive shall be without prejudice to the right of the Member States to maintain or adopt measures intended to prevent or compensate for disadvantages suffered by a group of persons of a particular racial or ethnic origin.
For the purpose of this decision, discrimination shall be defined as one person or a group of persons being treated less favourably than another on grounds of
Without prejudice to the Treaty, a group of persons may apply to fulfil the provisions of this Article as if they were a single person, specifying the period for which they want to so act.
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, drawn up after obtaining the opinion of a group of persons appointed by the Scientific and Technical Committee,
liable to affect adversely a person or a group of persons of a particular racial or ethnic origin
In Swedish law on measures to combat ethnic discrimination, it is expressly stated that, in using the term ethnic affiliation, the law means that someone belongs to a group of persons of the same race, skin colour, national or ethnic origin or confession.
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, drawn up after obtaining the opinion of a group of persons appointed by the Scientific and Technical Committee from among scientific experts in the Member States,
Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission, drawn up after obtaining the opinion of a group of persons appointed by the Scientific and Technical Committee from among scientific experts in the Member States,
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, drawn up after obtaining the opinion of a group of persons appointed by the Scientific and Technical Committee from among scientific experts in the Member States, in accordance with Article 31 of the Treaty,
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, submitted following consultation with a group of persons appointed by the Scientific and Technical Committee from among scientific experts in the Member States, as laid down in Article 31 of the Treaty,
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, submitted following consultation with a group of persons appointed by the Scientific and Technical Committee from among scientific experts in the Member States, as laid down in that Article,
publicly inciting to violence or hatred directed against a group of persons or a member of such a group defined by reference to race, colour, religion, descent or national or ethnic origin;
(a) public incitement to discrimination, violence or racial hatred in respect of a group of persons or a member of such a group defined by reference to colour, race, religion or national or ethnic origin;
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, drawn up after obtaining the opinion of a group of persons appointed by the Scientific and Technical Committee from among scientific experts in the Member States, and after having consulted the European Economic and Social Committee,
the reference to religion is intended to cover, at least, conduct which is a pretext for directing acts against a group of persons or a member of such a group defined by reference to race, colour, descent, or national or ethnic origin.
Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission, drawn up after having obtained the opinion of a group of persons appointed by the Scientific and Technical Committee from among scientific experts in the Member States, and after having consulted the European Economic and Social Committee,

Alternatives:

a group of individuals
a group of people
a panel of individuals
a body of individuals
a team of individuals

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a group of people vs a group of persons

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