‘People Do' or 'People Does': Which is Correct?

Should you say that ‘people do’ the weirdest things or ‘people does’ the weirdest things? Which one is correct? If you’re struggling with this, don’t worry. We’ll cover that in this article. Plus, you’ll learn how to use the correct one in a sentence correctly, as well as how to pronounce it.

The quick answer is that the correct one is:

• ‘People do’ is the only correct way to say this phrase.
• ‘People does’ is incorrect and ungrammatical and should not be used under any circumstance.

Therefore, you should stick to ‘people do’ because the subject and verb agree with each other.

Which One is Correct – Why Does People or Why Do People?

You’ve just learned that ‘people do’ is correct and ‘people does’ is incorrect.

Therefore, the same goes for this phrase.

When using the word people, a plural word, you have to use ‘do’ rather than ‘does.’

That’s because your subject has to agree with your verb. There’s no way around it.

You wouldn’t say ‘people does’ the dumbest things. You would say, ‘people do’ the dumbest things.

Fifty Percent of People do Or Fifty Percent of People Does?

No matter which phrase you use, the same will still ring true.

You always pair ‘people’ with ‘do’ and not ‘does.’

If your subject doesn’t agree with your verb, your sentence is ungrammatical and, therefore, incorrect.

That’s why it ensures your subject always agrees with your verb.

Take a look at a few examples:

• I Do
• You Do
• He Does
• She Does
• We Do
• They Do

And another example:

• I play
• You play
• She plays
• He plays
• They play

Definition and Meaning of ‘People Do’

The Merriam-Webster definition of ‘people’ is:

• Human beings make up a group or assembly or are linked by a common interest, the members of a family or kinship, the mass of a community, lower animals usually of a specified kind of situation, and the body of enfranchised citizens of a state.
• You might also see it defined as to supply or fill with people or to inhabit.

The same dictionary defines ‘do’ as:

• To bring to pass or carry out, to put, perform, execute, commit, bring about, pay, finish, exert, exhaust, beat, produce, or mimic.
• It might also be defined as to treat unfairly, clean, wash, cook, set, arrange, decorate, furnish, traverse, tour, suit, or use.

Other definitions include treating with respect to physical comforts, having sexual intercourse with, partaking of, acting or behaving, getting along, managing, or happening.

Pronunciation: How to Pronounce ‘People Do’

Learning how to pronounce this phrase is just as important as learning what it means.

Here’s a short pronunciation guide.

To pronounce this phrase correctly, here’s the phonetic spelling:

pEEpUHl-dOO

How to Use ‘People Do’ in a Sentence

Now that we’ve looked at definitions and gotten the pronunciation down let’s see some example sentences so you can form some of your own.

• My cousin always says people do the strangest things when they think they’re about to get caught doing something wrong. She’s not wrong.
• People do weird things when they’re lying. Some start to sweat, some start to fiddle, and some can’t seem to keep their words straight.
• We don’t know why people do the things they do. Sometimes, these things always remain mysteries.
• People do say time flies when you’re having fun, but I had no idea how fast until I was hanging out with my girlfriend.
• People do lots of crazy things when they’re in love, or so I’ve been told. Have you ever been in love?
• People do wild things in hotels. That’s why I prefer to stay in vacation rentals instead.

Final Advice on ‘People Do’ and ‘People Does’

To recap, we learned that the correct one is:

• ‘People do’ is the only correct way to say this phrase.
• ‘People does’ is incorrect and ungrammatical and should not be used under any circumstance.

Therefore, you should stick to ‘people do’ because the subject and verb agree with each other.

If you ever get stuck on meaning or usage, don’t be afraid to come back to review what you learned. We’ve also got a ton of other content on confusing words and phrases you might see (and get annoyed by) as you learn this complex language.