ENGLISH
REFERENCE

come true

fixed phr..
B2 Upper Intermediate Oxford

fixed phr.. to happen in real life exactly as you hoped or imagined it would.

fixed phr.. to materialize or become a reality; used specifically when a subjective desire, dream, or prediction aligns with objective events.


SIMPLE

My dream of visiting Japan finally came true.

CONTEXTUAL

After years of hard work, her wish to become a professional pilot finally came true.

COMPLEX

The scientist's early predictions about climate change have unfortunately come true with alarming accuracy over the last decade.

Usage

usually follows a subject like 'dream', 'wish', 'hope', or 'prediction'.

Teaching tip

contrast with 'realize a dream', where the person is the subject; in 'come true', the dream itself is the subject.

Pitfall

My dream became true.My dream came true.while 'become' sounds logical, 'come true' is the fixed collocation used in English.

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