public place — open area
collocationB1IELTS 5+neutralcommon
A space that anyone can go to, like a park, street, or shopping mall, where people gather or spend time.
Say it like a native
Textbook Such conduct is unacceptable in a location accessible to the general public.
Native You can't do that in a public place.
'A location accessible to the general public' is officialese; 'public place' is normal.
Pattern: public place (noun phrase); in/at a public place
In use
- You should always be careful with your belongings in a public place.daily life
- In my opinion, smoking should not be allowed in public places because it affects everyone around.IELTS speaking
Common mistake
✗ Don't smoke in publics places.
✓ Don't smoke in public places.
Pluralise the noun — 'public places', not 'publics'.
Common collocations
a public place— a public place, in public, in a public place, out in public
Don't confuse it
A 'private place' is only for certain people, like a home or a private office.