"No Sweat!" Do Your Students Know These Alternatives for "Easy"?
Learning a new language can be difficult — there is a lot of vocabulary and tricky grammar students must remember. So it's important for them to enjoy the times when things aren't hard to do or achieve.
This time, we'll look at words and expressions to share that can be used in place of "easy." Some are adjectives as well, but others are idioms that must be understood figuratively.
While every expression introduced here is common in daily conversations, students should know that they are all informal and would not be appropriate in most professional situations.
With that out of the way, let's get to the list!
Easy-peasy
We'll begin with one of the simplest terms.
Often in English, "nonsense words" are added to make an expression sound more fun or silly. In this case, we add "peasy," which has no meaning by itself.
I have a small motor on my bicycle, so even riding up big hills is easy-peasy.
This term is similar to those we introduced here: 'Use Free-Talk Lessons to Share These Funny English Word Pairs'
A walk in the park
This is the first expression on this list that refers to pleasant outdoor activities.
This game used to be very difficult for me. But now, finishing it is a walk in the park.
No sweat
No sweat = no effort or challenge
A
Can you carry this heavy box?
B
No sweat, Grandpa.
Make sure students know to be careful when using it with nouns; "no sweat" should come after the noun it refers to, not before.
x It was a no sweat test.
o The test was no sweat.
It is also used to say that something is not a problem or an inconvenience. In this case, its meaning is the same as "It's OK."
A
I'm sorry, but I'm going to be a few minutes late to the meeting.
B
No sweat, I can wait a little longer.
Blindfolded
This figurative expression suggests someone can perform an action even if their eyes are covered. It often implies the person has a high level of skill.
May is amazing at this game. She could probably play blindfolded!
A breeze
Just like taking a walk in the park, feeling a soft breeze on a clear day is refreshing.
In comparison to words like "gust" or "blast," which describe strong winds, a breeze is soft and pleasant, like the feeling of something easy.
We had a good map, so finding the hotel from the train station was a breeze.
No problem
This expression is very simple and straightforward.
He's a chef at a great restaurant, so cooking delicious meals is no problem for him.
It can also be used as a way to accept a request.
A
Can you get some milk on your way here?
B
No problem!
This usage is the same as "sure" or "of course."
A picnic
Here's another enjoyable outdoor activity is having a picnic. It's usually used to compare two different things.
Yesterday's crossword puzzle was a picnic compared to today's.
Like "a walk in the park," people frequently use it in a negative sense to say that something is not easy.
Raising kids is no picnic; it takes a lot of hard work.
Raising kids is no walk in the park; it takes a lot of hard work.
A cinch
"Cinch" is a noun for an easy task.
I used to struggle to communicate in a foreign language, but now it's a cinch.
A piece of cake
This tasty common idiom means that something is not challenging or stressful.
I thought the exam would be hard, but it was actually a piece of cake.
When used as a response, the "a" should be omitted.
A
Can you fix this broken table for me?
B
Piece of cake. Can you get my tools?
Child’s play
This expression suggests that something is easy enough for even a child to do.
These trivia questions are child's play. I need something more challenging!
Wrap-up
Students can often get discouraged by challenges when learning English. In a way, learning the various ways to say "easy" could help them to keep a positive mindset and motivate them to improve until those challenges are no longer difficult for them. After all, they'll naturally want a chance to use these expressions themselves.
To get the ball rolling, start a conversation by asking them what tasks are already easy for them to accomplish. Next, what difficult aspects of English would they like to focus on until they eventually become "a breeze"?
