easy
part of speech
adjective (easy, easier, easiest); adverb (easily; also easy in phrases like «take it easy»)
meaning for a pupil
1) Easy means not difficult, simple to do or understand. tree →
2) Easy means comfortable and relaxed: an easy chair. tree →
3) «Take it easy» means relax and don't work too hard; «go easy on» means be gentle with. tree →
sense in the lessons
In school pupils say a question is easy or hard; a hard problem becomes easier when you split it into steps. In stories something that looks easy may turn out to be a trap. In safety: «easy» tricks like an easy way to make money or a free prize online are often scams. Phrases: easy as pie, easy-peasy, take it easy, go easy, easier said than done, easy-going.
examples
- This sum is easy: two plus two is four. tree →
- Riding a bike is easy once you learn. tree →
- Take it easy; you've been working all day. tree →
- Easy-peasy, lemon squeezy! tree →
- It's easier to read with good light. tree →
- Go easy on your little brother; he's only four. tree →
- The test was easier than I expected. tree →
- Saying sorry is easier said than done. tree →
- Dear me, that is easy enough! tree →
note
Comparison: easy, easier, easiest (y → i). The usual adverb is «easily»: «She won easily». Phrases like «take it easy» use «easy». The opposite is «hard» or «difficult». Something that is easy for you may be hard for someone else, so be kind.
In the corpora
- Lenders make borrowing look easy: "Cash in minutes!", "Buy now, pay later!".
- The easiest money is usually the most expensive kind.
- A final demand is a warning that a bill is very overdue and stronger action will follow, so acting early is easier.
- A welcome card from new neighbours is a friendly hello, and getting on with neighbours makes life easier.
- The easiest way never to have a hard habit is never to start one.
Trees and pragmatics
Every meaning and example of «easy» parsed by Mova, each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.