a realistic prospect — genuine likelihood
collocationC1IELTS 7+neutraloccasional
a real and reasonable chance that something will happen, rather than just a hope or remote possibility.
Say it like a native
Textbook Promotion has become a genuinely attainable and realistic prospect.
Native Promotion's now a realistic prospect.
'Genuinely attainable and realistic' repeats itself; 'a realistic prospect' says it once.
Pattern: a realistic prospect of + noun/gerund | a realistic prospect that + clause
In use
- There's a realistic prospect of getting promoted if you keep working this hard.daily life
- In my opinion, with the current job market, there's a realistic prospect that graduates will find employment within a few months of finishing university.IELTS speaking
Common mistake
✗ There's a realistic prospect to win.
✓ There's a realistic prospect of winning.
'A prospect OF doing', not 'to do'.
Common collocations
a realistic prospect of— of, no, any, becomes
Don't confuse it
Unlike the general word 'possibility', which can refer to anything that might happen, 'a realistic prospect' suggests there is a solid, practical chance of it happening. It is not used for things that are unlikely or purely hypothetical.