A necessary evil

Feifei Hello I’m Feifei and welcome to The English We Speak.

Rob And hello, I’m Rob.

Feifei You’re looking pleased with yourself, Rob.

Rob
I am. I’ve just booked these dirt cheap - I mean really cheap - flights to Ibiza!

Feifei Wonderful!

Rob Look at the price - 20 pounds return! That means extra money to spend on food, drink and partying.

Feifei
Let’s have a look … hold on. The basic price is 20 pounds, but look at the tax you have to pay on top. One hundred pounds!

Rob Eh? Let me see. You’re right. Grrr, I hate paying tax.

Feifei
I guess you could say it’s a necessary evil.

Rob Hmm, you could say that - if you mean it’s something bad that can’t be avoided, and you have to accept it in order to achieve a good result.

Feifei
That’s exactly what I meant, Rob. If it can’t be avoided, like paying tax on a plane ticket, then it’s a necessary evil. Let’s hear some examples, shall we?

Examples For me, exams are a necessary evil - you have to do them to get a place at university.

Sitting in traffic for hours is a necessary evil if I want to drive to the seaside on a public holiday!

I hate running, but having to exercise is a necessary evil if I want to stay fit and healthy.

Feifei This is The English We Speak from BBC Learning English and we’re finding out about the phrase ‘a necessary evil’. It describes something that you have to accept in order to achieve something else. And Rob, that tax on your plane ticket is unavoidable - not so cheap now, is it?

Rob
No. Less money for eating, drinking and partying.

Feifei Can you get a refund? Stay at home and eat, drink and party?

Rob
I could but if I stayed at home, there’s another necessary evil I have to deal with.

Feifei
What’s that?

Rob I’ll have to spend more time with you.

Feifei
Hmm! What time is your flight exactly?

Rob
Did I say something wrong?

Feifei
Bye.

Rob
Bye.