Take it easy means to relax and not work too hard; it can also mean “calm down, don't get upset”. In the first sense people talk about rest or recovering after an illness; in the second they say it to someone who is upset about something small. The phrase is informal: it sounds natural in conversation, but it doesn't belong in an essay.
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take it easy; take it easy + on + someone
- The doctor told me to take it easy for a week after the operation.
- I'm going to take it easy this weekend and stay at home with a good book.
- Take it easy, it was just a small mistake and the client didn't even notice.
What changed
First versionAfter the exams I just want to take easy for a few days.
RevisionAfter the exams I just want to take it easy for a few days.
Verbs like relax and rest don't need an object, so it is tempting to drop the word it. But in this expression the it is required, even though it doesn't refer to anything specific: take it easy.
Take it easy on someone means not being too hard on a person: Take it easy on him, it's his first day. Here it is no longer about rest but about treating someone gently.
Your turn
My doctor said I should ___ for a few days and skip the gym.
Show the answer
take it easy — The expression never changes: take it easy. Easily looks logical because it describes how you do something, but take it easily is not used.
Write about how you plan to rest after a busy week. Name the day and one activity that helps you relax.
After this crazy week, I'm going to take it easy on Sunday and spend the afternoon reading in the park.
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