1. event or events 2. persons or people
Hi, there. When I was taking a italki online course, I talking about our National Day. I used the word "event" to refer to it, as "We Chinese celebrate our National Day. The event ...". Then, the teacher corrected me by changing event to events. I didn't know why. Then she set two examples as "My birthday -- one event; our birthdays -- events".

It seems that whether to use event or events depends on the number of people it covers. Am I right or Is the teacher right?

Another quesition, please. She also told me that persons was seldom used, and "two people" rather than two persons was correct. Person is only used as "one person". I can understand the phrase of "1000 people", but it seems strange to me as "2 people". I wonder if it is true.

Thanks a lot.

Question

1. event or events 2. persons or people
Hi, there. When I was taking a italki online course, I talking about our National Day. I used the word "event" to refer to it, as "We Chinese celebrate our National Day. The event ...". Then, the teacher corrected me by changing event to events. I didn't know why. Then she set two examples as "My birthday -- one event; our birthdays -- events".

It seems that whether to use event or events depends on the number of people it covers. Am I right or Is the teacher right?

Another quesition, please. She also told me that persons was seldom used, and "two people" rather than two persons was correct. Person is only used as "one person". I can understand the phrase of "1000 people", but it seems strange to me as "2 people". I wonder if it is true.

Thanks a lot.

Answer

It is indeed true that persons is virtually never used. Even for 两个人, we would say "Two people" and not "two persons."

For your other question, it depends on the number of events. If you hold multiple events during the celebration, then the plural is used. For instance, there were multiple events at the start of the Olympics. But a basketball game is one event, no matter how many people play.

Answer

Hi

1. Events is appropriate because presumably there are many events held to celebrate National Day. If there was only one event, or if you are talking about one particular event, the singular may be appropriate.

2. I can assure you "2 people" is correct.

Answer

She's prefectly correct about the people situation. 2 persons is rarely heard. So "National Day" is not an "event", strictly speaking. Try "festival", "holiday", or "anniversary" or something, because a day is a day, a date. "Events" can only be held during a day.

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