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population

B1 noun #17 most common 8 min read

population

Top 17

Practice it Examples Notes & Tips population in 30 Seconds

Explanation population in your Level:

At the A1 level, 'population' is a word you use to talk about how many people live in a place. It is like a big number for a city or a country. For example, you can say 'The population of my city is 100,000.' It helps you describe your home or other places. You don't need to know complicated things about it yet. Just think of it as the answer to the question: 'How many people are there?' You might see it on a map or in a simple book about the world. It is a noun, and we usually use it with 'is' because we think of the whole group as one thing. Even though there are many people, there is only one 'population' for one place. It is a very useful word when you want to give facts about your country or a famous city like London or New York.

At the A2 level, you start to use 'population' to compare different places. You might say 'China has a bigger population than France.' You also begin to see it used with simple adjectives like 'big,' 'small,' 'large,' or 'tiny.' You understand that 'population' refers to the total number of people. You might also learn that it can be used for animals in simple stories, like 'the population of birds in the park.' It is important to remember that 'population' is a formal word. In a casual talk with a friend, you might say 'Lots of people live here,' but in a school project, you would write 'The population is large.' You are also learning to use it in the possessive form, like 'the world's population.'

At the B1 level, you can use 'population' in more complex ways, such as discussing trends and changes. You can talk about a 'growing population' or a 'declining population.' You understand that this word is essential for discussing social issues like the environment, housing, and jobs. For example, 'A growing population needs more houses.' You also start to see the word in compound forms like 'population growth' or 'population density.' You can distinguish between the 'general population' and specific groups, like the 'elderly population.' This level requires you to use the word accurately in essays and reports, moving beyond simple facts to explaining the consequences of population changes on society and the economy.

At the B2 level, you are expected to use 'population' with a high degree of precision in academic and professional contexts. You should be comfortable discussing 'demographic shifts' and the 'impact of an aging population' on social security systems. You understand the nuances of the word in different fields, such as biology (the gene pool of a population) and statistics (the difference between a population and a sample). You can use more sophisticated collocations like 'sparsely populated,' 'densely populated,' and 'population explosion.' Your ability to use the word should reflect an understanding of global trends, such as urbanization and migration, and how these factors influence the population of different regions. You can also use the word metaphorically or in more abstract discussions about 'target populations' in marketing or 'vulnerable populations' in social work.

At the C1 level, your use of 'population' is nuanced and integrated into complex arguments. You can discuss the 'socio-economic ramifications of population fluctuations' with ease. You understand the historical context of population theories, such as Malthusianism, and can critique how population data is used in political discourse. You are proficient in using the word in specialized contexts, such as 'population genetics' or 'population ecology,' and you can navigate the subtle differences between 'population,' 'populace,' and 'citizenry' to convey specific rhetorical effects. You can analyze how 'population control' policies affect human rights and discuss the ethics of 'population sampling' in research. Your vocabulary around this topic is extensive, allowing you to speak and write about demographics with the authority of an expert.

At the C2 level, you have a masterly command of the word 'population' and its myriad applications. You can use it to engage in high-level philosophical or scientific debates, perhaps discussing 'population dynamics' in the context of chaos theory or the 'ethical implications of population engineering.' You are sensitive to the subtle connotations the word carries in different cultural and political climates, such as the sensitivity surrounding 'population replacement' theories. You can weave the concept of population into complex narratives about human evolution, global governance, and the future of the species. Your usage is indistinguishable from that of an educated native speaker, characterized by precision, variety, and an effortless ability to adapt the term to any register or domain, from the most technical scientific paper to the most evocative piece of literature.

Practice it Examples Notes & Tips

population in 30 Seconds

Population refers to the total number of people or animals living in a specific area, such as a city, country, or the entire planet.
It is a collective noun often used in statistics, geography, and biology to describe the size and growth of a group.
Commonly paired with adjectives like 'growing,' 'aging,' 'dense,' or 'sparse' to describe demographic trends and social challenges.
Essential for urban planning, environmental studies, and public health, it helps us understand the world through numbers and data.

The term population is a fundamental concept in geography, sociology, and biology. At its most basic level, it refers to the total number of individuals—usually humans, but often animals or plants—living in a specific geographic area at a specific time. When you hear a news reporter mention the 'world population,' they are discussing the nearly eight billion people currently inhabiting Earth. However, the word is versatile; it doesn't always mean everyone on the planet. It can be narrowed down to a city, a neighborhood, or even a specific demographic group, such as the 'student population' of a university or the 'elderly population' of a retirement community. In scientific contexts, researchers might study the 'population of honeybees' in a forest to understand environmental health. The word carries a sense of scale and measurement, often used when we are looking at groups from a statistical or bird's-eye view rather than as individuals.

Demographic Context: Used to describe the size, density, and distribution of people in a country or region.

The global population is expected to reach nine billion by the middle of the century.

In everyday conversation, we use 'population' to talk about how crowded a place feels or how it is changing. If a city is growing rapidly, we say its population is 'booming.' Conversely, if people are leaving a rural area for the city, we might discuss a 'declining population.' It is a word that helps us understand the world in terms of numbers and trends. It is less personal than 'people'—while 'people' refers to individuals with feelings and stories, 'population' refers to the collective data point. You wouldn't usually say 'I like the population at this party'; you would say 'I like the people at this party.' Use 'population' when you are thinking like a scientist, a geographer, or a planner.

Biological Context: Refers to a group of organisms of one species that interbreed and live in the same place at the same time.

Scientists are monitoring the local population of wolves to ensure the species does not go extinct.

Furthermore, the word is essential in statistics. A 'population' in a survey is the entire group that you want to draw conclusions about. If you are surveying how teenagers feel about social media, the 'population' is all teenagers, even if you only interview a 'sample' of one hundred. This distinction is vital for accurate data analysis. Whether you are talking about the number of stars in a galaxy (metaphorically) or the number of bacteria in a petri dish, 'population' provides the framework for quantifying life.

Urban Planning: The word is used to determine how many schools, hospitals, and roads a city needs based on how many people live there.

The city council is worried that the infrastructure cannot support such a dense population.

Using 'population' correctly requires an understanding of its grammatical role as a collective noun. While it refers to many individuals, it is usually treated as a singular noun in American English ('The population is growing') and can be either singular or plural in British English ('The population are/is voting'). To make your writing more descriptive, you should pair 'population' with specific adjectives that describe its state or movement. Common adjectives include 'dense' (many people in a small space), 'sparse' (few people in a large space), 'aging' (the average age is increasing), and 'diverse' (containing many different types of people). Using these modifiers helps paint a clearer picture of the demographic landscape you are describing.

Verbal Pairings: Common verbs used with population include: grow, shrink, decline, explode, shift, and inhabit.

As the population shifts toward urban centers, rural towns are struggling to survive.

When discussing statistics, 'population' often follows prepositions like 'of.' For example, 'a population of 5 million.' It can also be used as a modifier itself, as in 'population growth' or 'population density.' These compound nouns are standard in academic and journalistic writing. If you want to talk about a specific part of the population, you can use phrases like 'the prison population,' 'the bird population,' or 'the immigrant population.' This allows you to isolate a specific group for analysis. Remember that 'population' is a formal word; in casual speech, you might just say 'how many people live there,' but in a report or an essay, 'population' is the preferred term.

Adjective Modifiers: Use 'dense' for crowded areas and 'sparse' for empty areas to sound more professional.

The island has a very sparse population, with only a few families living there year-round.

You will encounter the word 'population' most frequently in formal settings. It is a staple of news broadcasts, particularly when journalists are discussing census results, election demographics, or public health crises. For instance, during a pandemic, health officials often talk about 'vaccinating the population' or 'the vulnerability of the elderly population.' It is also ubiquitous in educational environments. From middle school geography classes to university-level sociology seminars, 'population' is the standard term for discussing human groups. If you watch documentaries about nature, the narrator will frequently mention the 'population' of lions or elephants to discuss conservation efforts and the balance of ecosystems.

News & Media: Used in reports about climate change, resource management, and economic trends.

Tonight's special report examines the impact of an aging population on the national healthcare system.

In the business world, marketing experts analyze 'target populations' to decide where to sell their products. They might look at the 'youth population' in a city to see if it's a good place to open a new clothing store. Even in video games, particularly strategy or simulation games like SimCity or Civilization, 'population' is a key metric that players must manage to grow their virtual empires. It is a word that bridges the gap between hard science and social reality, appearing whenever we need to talk about the 'who' and 'how many' of a place without getting bogged down in individual names.

One of the most common mistakes learners make is confusing 'population' with 'people.' While they are related, they are not interchangeable. 'People' is the plural of 'person' and is used for individuals. 'Population' is a collective noun that refers to the group as a single unit. For example, you should say 'The population of the city is large,' not 'The population of the city are many.' Another mistake is using 'population' when you mean 'popularity.' Though they sound similar, 'popularity' refers to how much something is liked, while 'population' refers to how many individuals there are. Confusing these can lead to very strange sentences, like 'The population of the song is high,' which is incorrect.

Population vs. People: Use 'people' for individuals and 'population' for the statistical group or total number.

Incorrect: The population were happy about the news. Correct: The people were happy about the news.

Additionally, learners sometimes struggle with the countability of 'population.' You can have 'populations' (plural) if you are comparing the numbers of different cities or different species. For example, 'The populations of Tokyo and New York are very different.' However, within a single city, there is only one 'population.' Finally, be careful with the adjective 'populous.' It means 'having a large population.' Some learners try to use 'population' as an adjective, saying 'a population city,' but the correct form is 'a populous city.' Keeping these distinctions in mind will make your English sound much more natural and precise.

Depending on the context, there are several words you can use instead of 'population' to add variety to your writing. 'Inhabitants' and 'residents' are excellent alternatives when you want to focus on the people who live in a specific place. 'Inhabitants' sounds a bit more formal and is often used in history or geography, while 'residents' is common in local news and legal contexts. If you are talking about the people of a country in a political sense, 'populace' or 'citizenry' are strong choices. 'Populace' often refers to the general public as a mass, sometimes in contrast to the ruling elite. 'Citizenry' emphasizes the legal status and responsibilities of the people within a state.

Comparison Table: Population: The total number (statistical).
Inhabitants: The people living there (descriptive).
Residents: People with a permanent home there (legal/local).

While the population is 10,000, many of the inhabitants are only there for the summer.

In biology, you might use 'colony' for certain animals like ants or bees, or 'stand' for a group of trees. In sociology, 'community' is a warmer, more personal word than 'population,' implying that the people have something in common beyond just living in the same area. When you want to sound very academic, you might use 'demographics,' which refers to the study of populations and the different groups within them. Choosing the right word depends on whether you want to sound like a cold statistician (population), a friendly neighbor (community), or a precise lawyer (residents).

How Formal Is It?

Fun Fact

The word 'population' used to be synonymous with 'devastation' or 'laying waste' in some very old legal contexts, but this meaning is completely obsolete now.

Pronunciation Guide

UK /ˌpɒp.jəˈleɪ.ʃən/

US /ˌpɑː.pjəˈleɪ.ʃən/

The primary stress is on the third syllable: pop-u-LAY-tion.

Rhymes With

station nation education location creation foundation relation vacation

Common Errors

Saying 'pop-u-LASH-un' instead of 'LAY-shun'.
Putting the stress on the first syllable: POP-u-lation.
Mumbling the 'u' sound so it sounds like 'pop-lation'.
Confusing the 'shun' ending with 'sion' (though they sound the same).
Pronouncing the 'o' in 'pop' like the 'o' in 'go'.

Difficulty Rating

Reading 3/5

The word itself is common, but it often appears in complex academic texts.

Writing 4/5

Requires understanding of collective noun grammar and formal collocations.

Speaking 3/5

Easy to use in basic facts, harder to use in nuanced discussions.

Listening 2/5

Very common in news and documentaries, usually pronounced clearly.

What to Learn Next

Prerequisites

people city country number live

Learn Next

demographics census density migration inhabitant

Advanced

Malthusian socio-economic urbanization sustainability aggregate

Grammar to Know

Collective Nouns

The population is (singular) vs The population are (plural in UK).

Adjective Order

A large, aging, urban population.

Prepositional Phrases

A population of ten million.

Compound Nouns

Population growth, population density.

Quantifiers

Much of the population, most of the population.

Examples by Level

The population of this town is small.

The total number of people here is not big.

Use 'is' with population.

What is the population of your country?

How many people live in your country?

This is a common question format.

Tokyo has a very large population.

Many people live in Tokyo.

Use 'large' instead of 'big' for a more formal sound.

The world population is over 8 billion.

There are more than 8 billion people on Earth.

World population is a common phrase.

The population of my school is 500 students.

There are 500 students in my school.

Population can refer to a specific group like students.

Is the population growing?

Are there more people now than before?

Growing is a common verb for population.

The population of the island is only ten people.

Only ten people live on the island.

Population can be a very small number too.

I want to know the population of France.

I want to know how many people live in France.

Knowledge of population is a basic fact.

The city's population increased last year.

More people moved to the city.

Increased is the past tense of increase.

The population of China is bigger than the population of Italy.

China has more people than Italy.

Use 'bigger than' for simple comparisons.

Scientists study the population of tigers in India.

They count how many tigers are in India.

Population can refer to animals.

The local population is very friendly.

The people who live here are nice.

Local population refers to the people in a specific area.

Most of the population lives in the south.

More people live in the southern part of the country.

Use 'lives' (singular) with population.

The population of the village is declining.

Fewer people live in the village now.

Declining means getting smaller.

The government counts the population every ten years.

They do a census to see how many people there are.

Counts is the verb for finding the number.

We need more food for the growing population.

More people need more food.

Growing population is a common adjective-noun pair.

The aging population is a challenge for the healthcare system.

Having many old people is difficult for hospitals.

Aging population is a specific demographic term.

Population density is very high in coastal cities.

Many people live close together near the sea.

Population density is a compound noun.

The rural population is moving to the cities for work.

People from the countryside are going to the city.

Rural population refers to people in the countryside.

How does population growth affect the environment?

What happens to nature when there are more people?

Population growth is a key concept in B1.

The survey was sent to a random sample of the population.

A few people were chosen to represent everyone.

Sample of the population is a statistical phrase.

The prison population has doubled in the last decade.

There are twice as many people in jail now.

Prison population is a specific subgroup.

The country has a diverse population with many cultures.

There are many different types of people in the country.

Diverse population is a positive description.

The population reached a peak in 2010.

The number of people was highest in 2010.

Reached a peak is a common collocation.

The government implemented policies to control population growth.

They made rules to stop the number of people from rising too fast.

Control population growth is a formal phrase.

The study focused on the vulnerable population in urban areas.

They looked at people who are at risk in cities.

Vulnerable population is a term used in social science.

Migration is a major factor in the shifting population of Europe.

People moving is why the numbers are changing in Europe.

Shifting population indicates change over time.

The island's bird population was decimated by the introduction of cats.

Most of the birds died because of the cats.

Decimated is a strong verb for a large decrease.

Economic stability depends on a healthy working-age population.

The economy needs enough people who can work.

Working-age population is a specific demographic group.

The census provides a detailed snapshot of the national population.

The count shows exactly what the people are like right now.

Snapshot is a metaphorical way to say 'current view'.

The population is projected to decline by 20% by 2050.

Experts think there will be 20% fewer people in the future.

Projected to is used for future predictions.

There is a significant disparity between the urban and rural populations.

There is a big difference between people in cities and the country.

Disparity means a lack of equality or similarity.

The demographic transition has led to a stagnant population in many developed nations.

Changes in birth rates mean the number of people isn't growing.

Demographic transition is a complex sociological term.

The research examines the genetic diversity within the indigenous population.

The study looks at the DNA of the original people of the land.

Indigenous population is a formal and respectful term.

The sudden influx of refugees put a strain on the local population's resources.

Many new people arriving made it hard for the locals to have enough.

Put a strain on is a common idiom for pressure.

The ecological footprint of the human population is unsustainable.

People are using more resources than the Earth can provide.

Ecological footprint is an environmental term.

The survey results are representative of the population at large.

The results show what most people in the country think.

Population at large means the general public.

Suburbanization has fundamentally altered the population distribution of the region.

People moving to the suburbs changed where everyone lives.

Population distribution refers to where people are located.

The policy aims to mitigate the effects of population displacement caused by the dam.

The rule tries to help people who had to move because of the water.

Population displacement is a formal term for forced moving.

The Malthusian theory suggests that population growth will eventually outpace food production.

An old theory says there will be too many people and not enough food.

Malthusian theory is a specific academic reference.

The catastrophic collapse of the population was precipitated by a series of unforeseen environmental disasters.

The group died out quickly because of many bad things happening in nature.

Precipitated by means 'caused to happen suddenly'.

The study explores the intricate correlation between population dynamics and political stability.

The research looks at how changes in people numbers affect the government.

Population dynamics is a highly technical term.

There is an ongoing debate regarding the ethics of population engineering in the face of climate change.

People are arguing about whether it is right to change the population to save the planet.

Population engineering is a futuristic and controversial concept.

The census data revealed a profound shift in the ethnic composition of the national population.

The count showed that the types of people in the country have changed a lot.

Ethnic composition refers to the makeup of different races/cultures.

The sheer magnitude of the global population necessitates a radical rethinking of resource allocation.

Because there are so many people, we must change how we share things.

Necessitates is a formal verb for 'makes necessary'.

The island's isolated population has developed unique genetic traits over millennia.

Because they were alone for a long time, the people have special DNA.

Isolated population is a term used in evolutionary biology.

The discourse surrounding population control is often fraught with colonialist undertones.

Talk about limiting people often has hidden, bad ideas from history.

Fraught with means 'filled with something bad'.

The urban population's resilience was tested by the prolonged economic blockade.

The city people's ability to survive was put to a hard test.

Resilience is the ability to recover from difficulties.

Common Collocations

aging population

population growth

population density

general population

rural population

urban population

population explosion

target population

prison population

population decline

Common Phrases

at the population level

— Looking at the whole group rather than individuals. Used in research.

At the population level, the diet was found to be effective.

census of the population

— An official count of all the people in a country. Done periodically.

The government conducts a census of the population every ten years.

population at large

— The general public or the whole group of people. Very formal.

These changes will benefit the population at large.

within the population

— Inside a specific group of people. Used for statistics.

There is a high rate of literacy within the population.

a cross-section of the population

— A group that includes many different types of people. Representative.

The jury was chosen to represent a cross-section of the population.

displaced population

— People who have been forced to leave their homes. Often due to war.

The UN is providing aid to the displaced population.

vulnerable population

— Groups of people who are at higher risk of harm. Used in social work.

The cold weather is a threat to the city's vulnerable population.

population census

— The process of counting and gathering data about a population.

The latest population census shows a rise in immigration.

population shift

— A change in where people live or the makeup of the group.

The population shift from north to south has changed the economy.

total population

— The entire number of people in a place. No exceptions.

The total population of the country is nearly 40 million.

Often Confused With

population vs popularity

Popularity is how much people like something. Population is how many people there are.

population vs people

People refers to individuals. Population refers to the statistical group as a whole.

population vs pollution

Pollution is dirty air or water. It sounds slightly similar but has a completely different meaning.

Idioms & Expressions

"population explosion"

— A sudden, very large increase in the number of people. Often used for the 20th century.

The population explosion has put pressure on the world's food supply.

journalistic

"the graying of the population"

— The process of a population becoming older on average. Metaphorical.

The graying of the population means we need more retirement homes.

informal/journalistic

"population trap"

— A situation where population growth is faster than economic growth. Economic term.

Developing nations must avoid the population trap to improve living standards.

academic

"population bomb"

— A dramatic way to describe the dangers of overpopulation. From a famous book title.

In the 1960s, many feared the population bomb would lead to mass starvation.

literary/historical

"zero population growth"

— A state where the number of births equals the number of deaths. A goal for some.

Some environmentalists advocate for zero population growth.

political

"population health"

— The health outcomes of a group of individuals. Medical term.

Improving population health requires better access to clean water.

professional

"population pyramid"

— A graph showing the distribution of various age groups in a population. Technical.

The population pyramid for Italy shows a very narrow base.

academic

"floating population"

— People who reside in an area but are not officially registered there. Often migrants.

China's cities have a large floating population of migrant workers.

sociological

"population genetics"

— The study of genetic variation within populations. Scientific.

Population genetics helps us understand how species evolve.

scientific

"population ecology"

— The study of how populations interact with their environment. Scientific.

Population ecology is vital for managing wildlife reserves.

scientific

Easily Confused

population vs populace

They sound very similar and both refer to people.

Population is a count or a statistical group. Populace is a more literary or political term for the general public.

The population is 5 million, but the populace is unhappy with the government.

population vs inhabitants

Both refer to the people in a place.

Inhabitants focuses on the act of living in a place. Population focuses on the total number.

The island's inhabitants are mostly fishermen; the total population is 200.

population vs residents

Both describe people in an area.

Residents is used for people who have a home in a specific, often smaller area (like a building). Population is for a larger geographic area.

The residents of the apartment block make up a small part of the city's population.

population vs community

Both refer to groups of people.

Community implies shared interests, culture, or interaction. Population is just a count of everyone in a space.

The local community is very tight-knit, even though the city's population is huge.

population vs citizenry

Both refer to the people of a country.

Citizenry refers specifically to people as legal citizens with rights. Population is anyone living there, including non-citizens.

The national population includes many immigrants who are not yet part of the citizenry.

Sentence Patterns

The population of [Place] is [Number].

The population of London is 9 million.

[Place] has a [Adjective] population.

China has a huge population.

The [Adjective] population is [Verb-ing].

The aging population is increasing.

Population [Noun] is a [Adjective] issue.

Population growth is a global issue.

The [Noun] of the population [Verb] the [Noun].

The distribution of the population affects the economy.

[Gerund] the population [Verb] [Complex Clause].

Managing the population requires a multifaceted approach.

There is a [Noun] in the population of [Place].

There is a decline in the population of the village.

The population is projected to [Verb].

The population is projected to double.

Word Family

Nouns

population

populace

overpopulation

depopulation

Verbs

populate

repopulate

depopulate

Adjectives

populous

populated

unpopulated

populational

people

demographics

census

inhabitants

migration

How to Use It

frequency

Very common in academic, journalistic, and scientific domains.

Common Mistakes

The population are very large. → The population is very large.
Population is a collective noun and usually takes a singular verb.
The population of the movie is high. → The popularity of the movie is high.
Population refers to the number of people; popularity refers to how much they like something.
There are many populations in the city. → There are many people in the city.
A city has only one population. Use 'people' for individuals.
The city is very population. → The city is very populous.
Population is a noun; populous is the adjective form.
The population were voting today. → The people were voting today.
While 'population' can be plural in UK English, 'people' is much more natural when discussing an action like voting.

Tips

Singular vs Plural

Treat 'population' as a singular noun in most cases. 'The population is...' is standard.

Use 'Large' not 'Big'

In formal writing, pair 'population' with 'large' or 'small' rather than 'big' or 'little'.

Specify the Area

Always mention the place, like 'the population of New York,' to be clear.

Statistical Tone

Use 'population' when you want to sound like you are discussing facts, data, or trends.

Inhabitants for Variety

If you use 'population' too much in an essay, try 'inhabitants' or 'residents' for variety.

Animal Groups

Don't forget you can use this word for animals too, especially in science.

Densely vs Sparsely

Learn the pair 'densely populated' and 'sparsely populated' to describe how crowded a place is.

Stress the 'LAY'

The most important part of the word is the 'LAY' sound. Make it strong.

Compound Nouns

Use 'population growth' or 'population shift' to sound more like a native speaker.

Not 'Popularity'

Double-check that you don't mean 'popularity' (how much people like something).

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Think of 'POP' (like a balloon popping) and 'U' (you) and 'LATE' (being late). 'The POPulation is so big that YOU will be LATE.'

Visual Association

Imagine a giant map of the world with millions of tiny little dots representing people. Each dot is part of the population.

Word Web

City Country Census Growth Density People Statistics Animals

Challenge

Try to find the population of your favorite city and use it in a sentence with the word 'dense' or 'sparse'.

Word Origin

The word comes from the Late Latin 'populatio', which originally meant 'a people' or 'a community'. It entered Middle French as 'population' before being adopted into English in the late 16th century.

Original meaning: In its earliest English use, it often referred to the act of peopling or inhabiting a place, rather than the number of people itself.

Indo-European (Latin branch).

Cultural Context

Be careful when discussing 'population control,' as it can be a sensitive topic related to human rights and historical abuses.

In the US and UK, population data is often used to discuss diversity and the 'melting pot' of different cultures.

The Population Bomb (book by Paul Ehrlich) World Population Day (observed by the UN on July 11th) Thomas Malthus's 'An Essay on the Principle of Population'

Practice in Real Life

Real-World Contexts

Geography Class

population density
map the population
urban vs rural
demographic trends

News Report

according to the census
population growth
aging population
vulnerable groups

Biology Lab

animal population
species count
population genetics
habitat loss

Marketing Meeting

target population
consumer demographics
market reach
population segment

City Council

infrastructure needs
population shift
local residents
housing the population

Conversation Starters

"What do you think is the biggest problem caused by a growing population?"

"Is the population of your hometown increasing or decreasing?"

"Do you think the world population will ever stop growing?"

"How does a large population affect the quality of life in a city?"

"Should governments try to control the population size?"

Journal Prompts

Describe the population of the place where you live. Is it diverse? Is it aging?

If you could move to a place with a very small population, would you? Why or why not?

Imagine the world population doubled tomorrow. What would be the first thing to change?

Write about a time you felt overwhelmed by the size of the population in a crowded place.

How does the population of your country influence its culture and traditions?

Frequently Asked Questions

10 questions

In American English, it is almost always singular ('The population is...'). In British English, it can be plural if you are thinking of the individuals in the group ('The population are...'). Generally, using it as singular is safer for learners.

Yes, but 'a large population' is considered more formal and is more common in writing. 'Big' is fine for casual conversation.

Use 'people' when talking about individuals ('People are kind'). Use 'population' when talking about the group as a number or a data point ('The population is growing').

In biology, it refers to a group of the same species living in the same area. For example, 'the population of deer in the forest'.

It means how many people live in a certain amount of space (like per square mile). High density means it's crowded; low density means it's empty.

Sometimes, in statistics, it can refer to a set of items or events, but in general English, it almost always refers to living things like humans or animals.

It is a population where the average age is getting higher because people are living longer and fewer babies are being born.

A census is the official process of counting the population and collecting information about them.

Yes, you can talk about the 'student population' of a school or the 'population' of a small island.

No, 'population' is a noun (the group), and 'populous' is an adjective meaning 'having a large population' (e.g., 'a populous city').