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The public is correct.

plural and singular verbs can be tricky... but you use a singular verb with a singular noun, and a plural verb with a plural noun.

For example:

The person (singular) is (singular) correct.

The people (plural) are (plural) correct.

For your example, we need to decide whether "public" is singular or plural. Although a public is made up of many people, the word itself is singular. Therefore, the correct choice is:

The public is correct.

Both forms are correct. The word 'public', though singular in form, can be either singular or plural in meaning, depending on context. Many English collective nouns share that characteristic. It is possible to think of 'the public' as an anonymous mass (singular, taking a singular form of the verb), or as a number of individuals (plural, taking a plural form of the verb). Take advantage of the English language's wonderful capacity for subtlety and nuance, and choose the form that best expresses what you want to say.

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