the public

the public — idiom

1. all the ordinary people in a country or area, considered together as a group, es

1.慣用語A2
釋義

all the ordinary people in a country or area, considered together as a group, especially when compared with those who hold official power or have special knowledge

例句

The new museum opens its doors to the public every Tuesday free of charge.

to the public — direction of access

A recent survey found that the public is deeply worried about rising hospital waiting times.

the public + singular verb (collective)

同義詞
  • the general public

    more explicit, slightly more formal — emphasises 'ordinary people' as opposed to specialists

  • the population

    broader; refers to everyone living in a place, not just 'ordinary people'

  • the community

    more local and personal; implies shared interests in a specific area

  • society

    more abstract; refers to the structure and culture of a group, not the people as individuals

反義詞

文法句型

the public + singular/plural verb

to the public

from the public

用法筆記

Can take a singular or plural verb. British English often uses a plural verb (the public are…), while American English prefers a singular verb (the public is…). The form 'members of the public' refers to individuals rather than the group as a whole.

常見錯誤

❌The public are' (only in British English — avoid in formal US writing).
✅The public is' (American) or 'The public are' (British).
💡Both are correct depending on the variety of English you are using.
❌Publics are worried about climate change' (plural).
✅The public is worried about climate change.
💡'public' is uncountable in this sense and always used with 'the'.