Do you think business English is a cinch?
A great connection skill is discussing how easy or difficult tasks are.
Listen in today to learn useful expressions to talk about the difficulty level of tasks at work.
A cinch
Aubrey asks Lindsay if there is a task she does often that is a cinch.
Lindsay said tying her shoes is a cinch.
Aubrey laughs and says that her kids don’t find tying their shoes easy.
Something being ‘a cinch’ is an interesting high level phrase.
It will help you sound more native and natural when speaking English.
Business English vocabulary
When at work, there are tasks that don’t require much effort.
It is good to have the right vocabulary to share that something is easy for you to do.
Here are phrases you can use with some examples from Lindsay and Aubrey.
#1: A cinch
This is a term used to say something is extremely easy.
Examples:
- I thought it’d be difficult to increase productivity, but it was a cinch!
- She thought it’d be a cinch but it turned out to be extremely difficult!
As a verb, ‘cinch’ means to make something certain.
Examples:
- When UCLA offered her a full-ride scholarship, it cinched her decision.
- She was debating between a few jobs, but the latest offer cinched it.
#2: A snap
When used as a noun, ‘a snap’ means something is easy.
Examples:
- That task was a snap.
- He expected it to be a snap, but it ended up taking 3 weeks to complete.
‘In a snap’ used as an adverb phrase can mean that you did something easily.
Example:
- He finished the task in a snap.
#3: Easy peasy or easy breezy
This is a fun and casual way to say something is easy or simple.
Examples:
- Great job on that presentation! You made it look easy peasy.
- She thought the job would be easy breezy but it’s not!
#4: Piece of cake
This is a very common idiom used to say something is easy or doesn’t require any effort.
Examples:
- This task will be a piece of cake.
- Whenever I think something will be a piece of cake, I get proven wrong.
Roleplay
Here is a quick roleplay from Lindsay and Aubrey using the phrases and terms shared in today’s episode.
In this scenario, Aubrey and Lindsay are discussing a certification exam they have to take at work
Aubrey: Did you have to take the certification exam?
Lindsay: Yeah, it was a snap. What about you?
Aubrey: I haven’t taken it yet. Mark also said it’s a cinch though. Should be a piece of cake.
Lindsay: Yeah it was easy peasy. You won’t have a problem.
You can check out other podcast episodes that give you more English expressions to make your conversations more interesting at work.
Listen to episode AEE 2393: Sweeten Up Your English with These Expressions and learn phrases like ‘take the cake’ and ‘proof is in the pudding.’
Takeaway
Want to sound more natural and confident at work?
Today’s expressions, a cinch, a snap, easy peasy, and piece of cake, are fun, professional ways to talk about simple tasks.
Use them to build stronger connections in English and show your personality in conversations.
Don’t worry about being perfect.
Keep learning new vocabulary and continue to practice by using them in conversations with friends, family, and workmates.
This will boost your fluency and confidence and help you build great connections.
Remember Connection NOT Perfection™ is the goal!
Do you know other phrases and expressions that mean something is easy?
Share one with us in the comment section below.
