English Idioms

No Picnic

Meaning:

• not easy to do or accomplish

Frequency of Use: Medium to High

1. Learning another language is no picnic. It can take more work than you think.
2. Running my first marathon was no picnic. My muscles hurt for days after that.
3. It was no picnic to get into the university because I had to study really hard every day.
4. Going to school while working a full-time job is no picnic, but it is certainly possible with the support of family and friends.
5. I suggest seeing a doctor for your illness. It won’t be a picnic if your recovery takes a long time.

1. Getting in shape is no picnic for many people, but what things can people do to start an exercise program and keep it going?
2. Earning money to buy a car, a house, or a college education is no picnic for many people because of the costs of these things. However, what can people do to earn and save money for the future?

Your friend is interested in learning Spanish and Portuguese, so he decides to travel around South America for six months to pick up the languages. You tell your friend that learning a language in 6 months is no picnic. What are several pieces of advice that you can give your friend to increase his chances of having success?

Possible Answer: 

“My friend should take a basic language class before he leaves to learn some basic expressions and information on cultural understanding.”

Sometimes, learners know the meaning of an idiom, but they don’t know how to use it correctly in conversation or writing. Thus, this activity checks your grammatical accuracy with the idiom so you become more confident in using it.