It means to accomplish something surprisingly fast, or to do something that is really easy.
To help you, below are some examples of using these idioms.
“Getting through traffic today was a piece of cake, no congestion at all!”
“I’m glad I studied for the exam because it ended up being a piece of cake.”
“She thought learning sharing idioms would be a piece of cake but it was more complex than she anticipated.”
The etymology of this idiom will surprise people, as will future idioms that we learn about during this series. Some origin stories are uncomfortable, however, it is important to discover where our words come from and how language evolves over time because it provides a portal into the past and allows us to reflect on how our vocabulary influences, or has influenced, our social constructs. “A piece of cake” is said to come from the southern United States and has its roots in phrases that emerged from “a cake walk” which was a competitive dance performed by slaves and judged by plantation owners. More information can be found here:
In this week’s video, Lori Triolo and I chat about what our students have taught us about teaching and the surprises that students receive when they work hard for results.