folk - folks

Folk and folks are sometimes used to refer to particular groups of people. Both these words are plural nouns. You always use a plural form of a verb with them.

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◊ 'folk'

Folk is sometimes used with a modifier to refer to all the people who have a particular characteristic.

Country folk are a suspicious lot.

She was like all the old folk, she did everything in strict rotation.

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However, this is not a common use. You usually say country people or old people, rather than `country folk' or `old folk'.

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◊ 'folks'

In American English, your folks are your close family, especially your mother and father.

I don't even have time to write letters to my folks.

Vera's visiting her folks up in Paducah.

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Some people use folks when addressing a group of people in an informal way. This use is more common in American English than in British English.

That's all for tonight, folks.

They saw me drive out of town taking you folks up to McCaslin.

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