The social programme here at Atlas Language School means you can visit lots of interesting places in Dublin and further afield. In this series of blogs, you can learn some vocabulary that you can use when you visit these places, or some phrases related to these places that you can try to add to your everyday English.

Trip number one: Bray and the Sea Life aquarium

In Bray you can visit a great aquarium as well as climb to the top of Bray head, which has incredible views of Dublin and the sea. It’s just a short DART (train) ride from the city centre.

Here are some fish idioms that you can use:

fish out of water

If you feel uncomfortable in a new situation, you could say that you feel like a fish out of water. I am sure that none of the students in Atlas feels like that.

e.g. “After living in the countryside for 25 years, Seamus felt like a fish out of water when he moved to London.”

shooting fish in a barrel

I am sure it is difficult to shoot a fish in the sea, but shooting fish in a barrel is much easier. You can use this idiom to describe something that is extremely easy.                

e.g. “If you study English, getting a great job will be like shooting fish in a barrel.”

to need (something) like a fish needs a bicycle

Do you think a fish needs a bicycle? No, of course not! If you say someone needs (something) like a fish needs a bicycle, they don’t really need it at all.

e.g. “An English student needs an electronic translator like a fish needs a bicycle.”

Over to you.

Do you have any fishy idioms of your own? Leave a comment and let us know.