You need the vocabulary in English to encourage someone.
Often you want to share that something is actually pretty easy.
In today’s episode, get five ways to say that something is a breeze in English.
Riding a bike
Michelle asks Lindsay if she can ride a bike.
Lindsay can ride a bike and asks Michelle the same question.
Michelle shares that she used to know how to ride a bike.
However, she recently discovered that she has trouble with it!
It has been years since she rode a bike.
She was with a group and none of them had ridden bikes in some time.
For the others, their muscle memory was activated and they were able to ride a bike.
Muscle memory
- muscle memory: the ability to do a particular task or movement without thinking about it
This often happens with stuff you’ve done repetitively in the past and stopped for a while.
Michelle tried and fell off the bike instantly and even bruised the palms of her hands.
Since then she hasn’t gotten on a bike again.
Here is another episode you can listen to and learn other idioms and expressions.
Go and learn from AEE 485: How to Make These English Idioms a Cakewalk and AEE 1628: Rockets, Brain Surgery, and English Vocabulary.
Say it’s easy!
It is an important skill to be able to express that something is not hard to do.
It can also help you encourage someone to do something again after they haven’t done it in a long time.
Here are some expressions you can use to say something is easy:
1: Like riding a bike
You can use this to tell someone that they’ll be able to pick up something easily.
Example:
“You’ll remember how to sew in no time. It’s like riding a bike!”
2: Easy as pie
This is used to say something is basic just like a piece of pie.
Example:
“You can pick it up like that! This concept is as easy as pie!”
3: Child’s play
This is not as common but it just means that something is so easy that a kid could do it.
It can also be used to compare things when you look back at what you’ve accomplished now.
Example:
“Oh you can definitely put that furniture together yourself. It’s child’s play!”
“Looking back on what I used to work with, building another business is child’s play!”
4: A breeze
Saying something is ‘a breeze’ means it is quick and easy.
Example:
“You’ll learn fast. Really, it’s a breeze once you get used to it!
Learning new things
Lindsay has been learning Arabic for quite some time.
She is doing this to prepare for her trip to Egypt.
Michelle asks if she is ready.
Lindsay says she doesn’t think she is but she will definitely enjoy the trip.
Michelle then asks Lindsay what is something she has relearned that is like riding a bike.
Lindsay mentioned skiing.
She did it a lot when she was younger and stopped when she moved to a different state.
When she was able to do it again recently, she definitely remembered how.
She was hesitant at first but then due to muscle memory, she was able to pick it up again fast.
Lindsay then asks Michelle about something that is not as easy as pie for her.
Michelle responds that bowling is not easy for her because her arm is not cooperative when she tries to bowl.
Roleplay
Here is a roleplay from Lindsay and Michelle using all the expressions mentioned in this episode to convey that something is easy.
In this scenario, Lindsay is teaching Michelle how to cook soup.
Lindsay: So you take the chicken broth and…
Michelle: Wait..how much? Ahh, I’m a terrible cook.
Lindsay: Don’t worry Michelle, this is child’s play. I’m telling you, you’ll be able to do it.
Michelle: Well the recipe looks complicated.
Lindsay: It’s like riding a bike. Once you get going you’ll remember some of your old cooking skills.
Michelle: I never had any cooking skills. This may be a breeze for you, but not for me.
Lindsay: Eh it’s easy as pie. Let’s just take it step by step.
Michelle: Okay thanks, Lindsay.
Takeaway
Use these expressions shared by Lindsay and Michelle to connect with others.
These are great ways to encourage someone to achieve something easily.
You can also use these to say something is difficult for you.
It’s always important to be improving your English skills by trying new things and having these conversations.
What is something that you’ve done recently that was a breeze?
Share it in the comment below. We love hearing from you!
