Chase Rainbows - IELTS Idiom of the Day

Candidates preparing for the IELTS exam need to understand and use idioms correctly can significantly boost your speaking scores. One such idiom is 'chase rainbows'. In this blog, we will explore the meaning, usage, and implications of this idiom, along with examples on how to incorporate it effectively into your IELTS preparation.

Chase Rainbows: Meaning

When someone is pursuing fanciful or unrealistic goals, he is said to be chasing rainbows.

Chase Rainbows: Origin

The term comes from the old tale about finding a pot of gold if one digs at the end of the rainbow, where it touches earth. Obviously, no such thing exists. So in the nineteenth century, this expression was used for people chasing unrealistic dreams. Such people were called “rainbow chasers”.

Chase Rainbows: Usage

When discussing goals, aspirations, or career plans, you might encounter situations where 'chase rainbows' idiom could be used effectively. It will not help you showcase your IELTS vocabulary, but also give a native touch to your IELTS Speaking answers.

1. You need to grow up and land a stable job. You can’t keep chasing rainbows forever.
2. I thought I could make it as a movie star, but it turns out I have been chasing rainbows all this time.
3. My days of chasing rainbows and dreaming of becoming a novelist are over.
4. You think you’re going to replace Jenna as the new General Manager? Quit chasing rainbows!
5. All this time I have been chasing rainbows in hopes of becoming the next big thing in fashion. But all that hard work was futile.
6. Chasing rainbows is a luxury only rich people and children can afford. The rest of us have to get a job that is secure.
7. Nobody becomes floor manager at the restaurant within a year! You have to stop chasing rainbows and be more realistic.

Understanding idioms like 'chasing rainbows' enriches your grasp of the English language and can significantly boost your performance in the exam. Using such idiomatic expressions effectively in the IELTS Speaking can showcase your language proficiency, creativity, and command over nuanced expressions. Proper use of idioms like this can demonstrate your proficiency and add color to your language, therefore helping you achieve a high IELTS band score in these modules.