adjective / noun · neutral

public

/ˈpʌblɪk/PUB·lic

Band 5-6speakingtask2

relating to people in general (adj); the people as a whole (noun)

Examples

“Public opinion turned against the policy.”

“Public transport is cheaper than taxis in this city.”

“The decision was made for the public good.”

Band 8 sentence

“Restoring the public's trust in institutions requires transparency, consistent accountability, and meaningful citizen participation.”

Collocations

  • public transport
  • public opinion
  • the public
  • for public use

Word family

public adjectivethe public nounpublicly adverb

Common mistakes

popular→public

public opinion → public's opinion→public opinion

Say it for a higher band

5people→6general public→7+public

Synonyms

community

popular

Easily confused

popular

“The film was popular with teenagers, but it did not spark a wider public debate.”

Related words

governancevotedisenfranchisementrightlawregulationtaxelection

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In Society & Government

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