easy task

Meanings

1. 1nouncountable

   a piece of work that is simple to do and needs little effort or skill

   Grammar: Countable: use 'a/an' or a plural — an easy task, easy tasks.

   Patterns

   • an easy task
   • not an easy task
   • an easy task for someone

   Cleaning the kitchen was an easy task, so I finished it in ten minutes.

   For a trained engineer, fixing the machine is an easy task.

   Writing the report was not an easy task, but she managed it.

2. 2nounsingularinformal

   something that is hard to achieve, especially when expressed as 'no easy task'

   Grammar: Usually in the fixed negative phrase 'no easy task' or 'not an easy task'; it emphasizes difficulty.

   Patterns

   • no easy task
   • not an easy task

   Finding a cheap apartment in the city is no easy task.

   Convincing him to change his mind was not an easy task.

Word forms

Common combinations

an easy task

The teacher gave us an easy task for homework.

no easy task

Learning a new language is no easy task.

not an easy task

Getting everyone to agree was not an easy task.

a relatively easy task

Compared with the others, this was a relatively easy task.

Synonyms and how they differ

simple job

More informal and often used for small practical work; 'easy task' sounds a little more neutral and formal.

piece of cake

Very informal idiom meaning extremely easy; 'easy task' is more neutral and can be used in writing.

cinch

Informal and mainly American; it suggests something is very easy, while 'easy task' is more general.

Opposites

Word family

easily adverb

in an easy way; without difficulty

easiness noun

the quality of being easy

Commonly confused: easy task or easy task vs easy job?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “easy task”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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