Recently one of my students asked me the meaning of the idiom: “to be a no brainer”. It is used when we want to say something is so easy that we don’t have to think about it and that the answer is obvious. For example:
A: Did you accept the job offer from ABC Company?
B: They offered me a high salary and really good benefits, so it was a no brainer. Of course, I accepted it.
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A: Which car did you buy – the Toyota or the BMW?
B: It was a no brainer. The Toyota was much cheaper and I don’t have much money right now.
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A: Who do you think is the best actor in the movies right now?
B: That’s a no brainer for me. It’s definitely Johnny Depp!
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A: I don’t know what the capital of France is.
B: Oh come on! That’s a no brainer. It’s Paris.
This expression can be used when talking about decisions (as in the first two examples), opinions (as in the third example) or factual information (as in the fourth example).
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