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When using the word "most" before the word "people", should the verb which comes after them should be referred as a singular or plural?
For example:
- What would the most people know about insulin?
- What would the most people knows about insulin?
Which one of the two above is the correct one?
Judicious Allure
Posted 2015-03-08T03:57:01.137
Reputation: 24 598
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To my (American) ear, "What would most people know about insulin?" is correct, and "What would most people knows about insulin?" is incorrect.
"What would the most people know about insulin?" sounds unnatural. "The most people" is usually used as a superlative, not as a way of referring to a specific group of "most people". "Most people" is deliberately vague as to which people are in the group, so a non-superlative use of "the most people" is usually self-contradictory.
"What is the most people you have ever talked to at the same time?" does sound natural. Notice that this question asks for a superlative -- the result of comparing the sizes of all of the groups of people "you have ever talked to" -- so this use of "the most people" refers to a single group of people. "What is the largest audience you have ever spoken to?" and "What is the largest group of people you have ever talked to?" sound even more natural.
"The most people I have ever talked to was 2,500 people, during a meeting at Town Hall." In this usage, "the most people" is singular.
Jasper
Posted 2015-03-08T03:57:01.137
Reputation: 23 316
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"people", when used as the plural of "person", requires a verb form that's also in the plural. In your example, "most people" refers to multiple individuals, so you need the plural.
Unrelated to your example, but useful to know: the word "people" could also be used as a singular noun, but with a different meaning - it refers to a group of human beings with a common culture, tradition, language, etc:
Americans, as a people, value hard work and not giving up easily.
It also has its own plural:
The peoples of South America, one of which was the Incas, had rich cultures and complex belief systems.
Most of the time, however, you'll see "people" as the plural of "person" or "human being".
RuslanD
Posted 2015-03-08T03:57:01.137
Reputation: 2 122
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The noun "people" has been used in the above sentences as a plural noun. According to grammar, if you use a plural noun in front of "most" that mean the greatest number of or the majority of, you use the plural verb. Hence, the correct sentence is: What would most people know about insulin? A couple of examples are given below:
Most operations are successful.
Most people like eggs.
Khan
Posted 2015-03-08T03:57:01.137
Reputation: 26 261
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It depends on the context. The noun "people" can be used as the singular (refer to all the individuals of a tribe or a nation or a country or an ethnic group) or as the plural (refer to a group of individuals). In the question the noun is used in the second meaning - plural.
Darius Miliauskas
Posted 2015-03-08T03:57:01.137
Reputation: 256
Can you show an example for people who get singular form - please? – Judicious Allure – 2016-11-03T11:37:23.243
1You don't have to capitalize insulin. – snailplane – 2016-03-03T00:34:48.097
@snailboat, you're right, I edited it. – Judicious Allure – 2016-03-03T00:37:39.527
1I have related question and when I was googling this came up. How should I say correctly 'most of the developers know' (or knows)? To me 'know' is the correct form. I'm reviewing a blog by non-native speaker and he used 'most of the developers out there knows' which seems wrong to me. I'd say 'most developers know' and drop the 'of the ' and knows. What do you think? – Naomi – 2017-11-28T18:16:21.293
1@Naomi Most of plural (=developers for example) is always plural. Most of singular (most of it goes to the sea) is always singular. So you can conclude that the correctness depends on what you're referring to, when you're mentioning 'most'. – Judicious Allure – 2017-11-28T20:36:01.337
3Ask yourself: How many are "most"? More than one? You should drop the article, btw. – Stephie – 2015-03-08T05:24:31.133
Have a look at OALD, most no. 2. - most verbs are reguar - and note the remark about "the". – rogermue – 2015-03-08T06:52:32.823