Idioms and Expressions with "water"

Study the idioms and complete the activities below.

• 1. To keep one's head above water: To manage to survive a difficult situation, especially when you have a lot of work to do or very little money. Equivalent in Brazilian Portuguese: Manter a cabeça acima da água / Dar conta do recado (geralmente financeiramente).
  • With all these medical bills, I'm struggling to keep my head above water.
  • The business is new, but we are managing to keep our heads above water.
  • I have so much homework that I can barely keep my head above water.
• 2. To be in deep water: To be in serious trouble or in a very difficult situation. Equivalent in Brazilian Portuguese: Estar em maus lençóis / Estar em apuros.
  • If you don't finish that report by Friday, you'll be in deep water with the boss.
  • He found himself in deep water after lying to his parents.
  • The company is in deep water because of the recent economic crisis.
• 3. Water under the bridge: Used to say that problems or arguments from the past are no longer important and should be forgotten. Equivalent in Brazilian Portuguese: Águas passadas.
  • We had a fight last year, but that's all water under the bridge now.
  • Don't worry about the mistake you made; it's water under the bridge.
  • They used to be rivals, but now their past conflicts are water under the bridge.
• 4. Like a fish out of water: To feel very uncomfortable or awkward because you are in a situation or environment that is not familiar to you. Equivalent in Brazilian Portuguese: Como um peixe fora d'água.
  • I don't know anything about art, so I felt like a fish out of water at the gallery.
  • When I moved to the big city, I felt like a fish out of water for a few months.
  • She was the only person not wearing a costume at the party, so she felt like a fish out of water.

ACTIVITIES

Activity 1: Definition Matching

Match the idiom to its correct meaning.

1. Keep one's head above water
Select the meaning... A. To be in serious trouble. B. To feel uncomfortable in an unfamiliar place. C. To survive a difficult financial or work situation. D. Problems from the past that are forgotten.

2. Be in deep water
Select the meaning... A. To be in serious trouble. B. To feel uncomfortable in an unfamiliar place. C. To survive a difficult financial or work situation. D. Problems from the past that are forgotten.

3. Water under the bridge
Select the meaning... A. To be in serious trouble. B. To feel uncomfortable in an unfamiliar place. C. To survive a difficult financial or work situation. D. Problems from the past that are forgotten.

4. Like a fish out of water
Select the meaning... A. To be in serious trouble. B. To feel uncomfortable in an unfamiliar place. C. To survive a difficult financial or work situation. D. Problems from the past that are forgotten.

Activity 2: Gap Fill

Complete the sentences using one of the idioms learned above.

1. I am not a fan of technology, so I felt at the IT conference.

2. We used to disagree a lot, but our old arguments are .

3. If you lose your passport while traveling, you will be .

4. Prices are rising, and many families are finding it hard to .

5. Stop worrying about what happened five years ago; it is all .

Activity 3: Reading Comprehension

Read the dialogue and answer the questions below.

Mark: Hey, Sarah! How is the new job at the law firm?

Sarah: To be honest, I feel like a fish out of water. Everyone there is so experienced, and I'm just a beginner.

Mark: Don't worry, that's normal! Are you handling the workload?

Sarah: It’s tough. With my student loans and the high rent, I’m just trying to keep my head above water right now.

Mark: I understand. I heard you and the manager had a small disagreement on your first day?

Sarah: Oh, that! We talked about it and decided to move on. It’s water under the bridge.

1. Why does Sarah feel "like a fish out of water"?
Select an answer... a) She doesn't like the office building. b) She feels inexperienced compared to her coworkers. c) She is looking for a different career.

2. What is Sarah’s main challenge regarding "keeping her head above water"?
Select an answer... a) Dealing with her coworkers. b) Finding her way around the city. c) Managing her finances and rent.

3. How does Sarah feel about the disagreement with her manager?
Select an answer... a) She is still very angry about it. b) She considers it a past issue that is no longer important. c) She is in deep water because of it.