In public means where other people can see or hear you: speaking, arguing, apologising. It was the first time he had read his poetry in public. You don't need a crowd: a couple of strangers in a café are enough.
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speak, perform, appear or behave + in public
- It was the first time he had read his poetry in public.
- Please do not discuss a colleague's personal problems in public.
- The director apologized in public after the rehearsal footage was released.
What changed
First versionShe enjoys speaking in the public, but dislikes being filmed.
RevisionShe enjoys speaking in public, but dislikes being filmed.
Public looks like a noun here, and nouns often take the, so in the public appears. But the fixed phrase has no article: speak in public. With the, public becomes a noun meaning people in general: the museum is open to the public.
In private means with no outsiders around. Publicly also means in public, but it's more about open statements: she publicly thanked the team. Public speaking is the skill itself: a course in public speaking.
Your turn
Choose the expression for speaking before other people: He rarely speaks ___.
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in public — The sentence is about how he speaks, in front of people, so it's in public with no article. The public means people in general.
Say what you feel comfortable or uncomfortable doing in front of others, using in public.
I am comfortable answering questions in public, but singing on stage still makes me nervous.
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