In this mini episode, you will learn the expression “fair share.”
Episode 388 of the Everybody ESL podcast is a mini episode that teaches you the expression “fair share.” Send your questions about English and your comments and suggestions to EverybodyESL@gmail.com! (And let me know if you’d like to record the introduction to a future episode.)
Intro
“Hi, everybody! This is Shuma, from Japan. And you are listening to Everybody ESL.”
Welcome to episode 388 of Everybody ESL, the podcast for everybody who wants to improve their English, practice their English, or just learn more English. My name is Ben, and I have a mini episode for you today, where I am going to teach you about one English topic. You can subscribe to the Everybody ESL podcast at Apple podcasts and wherever you find your podcasts. If you like Everybody ESL, leave it a good review so other people can find out about it too. And if you have any questions, comments, or suggestions for me, please send an email to EverybodyESL@gmail.com. Okay! Let’s get on with this mini episode.
The episode
In this episode, I am going to teach you an interesting and useful expression. The expression is “fair share.” Fair share.
That’s spelled f-a-i-r, s-h-a-r-e. Fair share.
Before I talk about this expression and what it means, let me talk about the word share. Share is usually a verb, but in this expression, “fair share,” it is a noun.
When share is a noun, it means “a piece or a portion of something.”
People will talk about having a share of something or doing a share of the work. For instance, if somebody owns stock in a company, that person owns some shares of the company. In other words, that person owns some pieces of the company.
That’s what a share is. It is a piece or a portion of something.
Knowing that meaning of the noun share means that understanding “fair share” will be easy. Because “fair share” means “a share—a piece or a portion of something—that is fair.” It is appropriate. It is reasonable. It is equal. It is according to the rules or according to what is right.
Imagine that there is some big job to do. This is a big job that requires the work of many people. Everybody on the team has to do part of the work. You could say that each person has to do his or her fair share. Each person has to do the amount of work that is fair. Each person has to do a share, or portion, of the work that is equal, or that is appropriate, or that is right or proper.
If you do your fair share, that means you do a part or portion of the work that is fair. It is reasonable and right and equal.
You will also hear people use “fair share” in this kind of sentence:
“I know that my life is good, but I have had my fair share of bad luck.” I have had my fair share of bad luck. In other words, bad luck happens to everybody sometimes. Bad things happen to everybody. They happen to me also. I have had an amount or a portion of bad luck that is fair. It is appropriate. It is equal to the amount of bad luck that other people have. The portion of bad luck that I have experienced is reasonable. It is fair. It is equal to what other people have experienced. I have experienced my fair share of bad luck.
And so, “fair share” means a piece or a portion of something bigger that is reasonable, appropriate, or equal.
And that is “fair share,” a common, interesting, and useful expression that I think you should know.
Outro
This is the end of episode 388 of Everybody ESL. Remember: if you have questions about English, or if you have comments for me, or if you would like to record an introduction that I can play at the beginning of future episodes—the same way Shuma recorded the introduction you heard at the beginning of this episode—send an email to EverybodyESL@gmail.com. I’ll be back soon with a new episode. And until then, keep going, keep practicing, and keep learning. I’ll see you soon. Goodbye!