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Tag: Plain Sailing

  • Smooth Sailing / Plain Sailing

    🗓️ Idiom: Smooth Sailing / Plain Sailing (n)

    💬 Meaning

    • A situation or process that goes easily and without problems.
    • It means everything is running well, with no major issues.

    🧠 Example Sentences

    • Once the new system was fully installed, it was smooth sailing.
    • After the team adapted to the new workflow, the project became plain sailing.
    • We expected challenges, but the rollout turned out to be smooth sailing.

    🏛️ Origin

    Both versions of the idiom come from sailing. “Smooth sailing” refers to calm water and easy movement, while “plain sailing” was a nautical term meaning clear and simple navigation. Today, both are used to describe easy progress.

    📝 Practice Exercises

    1. Fill in the blank:

    After the training was complete, using the new software was __________.

    Answer

    smooth sailing / plain sailing

    2. Choose the correct meaning of “smooth sailing”:

    A) Facing constant delays
    B) Needing more resources
    C) Working through challenges
    D) Progressing without problems

    Answer

    D) Progressing without problems

    3. Rewrite the sentence using the idiom:

    “The change management process is now going very easily and without trouble.” → Change the sentence using: smooth sailing

    Answer

    The change management process is now smooth sailing.

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  • Plain Sailing

    🗓️ Idiom: Plain Sailing

    💬 Meaning

    • Used to describe a task or situation that is easy and without problems once it has started.
    • It often refers to a process or activity that goes smoothly and effortlessly.

    🧠 Example Sentences

    • Once the onboarding was complete, the rest of the training was plain sailing.
    • The recruitment process was plain sailing after they found the right candidate.
    • Getting started was tough, but everything has been plain sailing since then.

    🏛️ Origin

    The idiom comes from nautical terminology. In sailing, “plain sailing” described a situation where the sea was calm and conditions were ideal for an easy voyage. It later took on a more general meaning.

    📝 Practice Exercises

    1. Fill in the blank:

    Once the systems were set up, the transition became __________ sailing.

    Answer

    plain

    2. Choose the correct meaning of “plain sailing”:

    A) A confusing situation
    B) A process that goes smoothly
    C) A risky decision

    Answer

    B) A process that goes smoothly

    3. Rewrite the sentence using the idiom:

    “Everything went smoothly after the orientation session.” → Change the sentence using: plain sailing

    Answer

    It was plain sailing after the orientation session.

    ℹ️ Other Useful Pages

    👉 HR and Recruitment Idioms
    👉 Business English Idioms List
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    👉 Tutor Toolkit