IELTS Vocabulary for Technology
Technology questions appear throughout the test - Part 1 often asks about phones, apps, or how much time you spend online, Part 2 includes cue cards on a useful piece of technology or a website or app you use often, and Part 3 moves into wider debate about how technology affects society, work, and childhood. The same territory reappears in Writing Task 2, where technology is one of the most frequently set essay themes.
For Lexical Resource, examiners are listening for whether a candidate can describe technology with more than “good,” “useful,” and “convenient.” Collocations like “prone to glitches,” “a digital footprint,” and “streamline a process” show real control of the topic, and an idiom used correctly and sparingly - “a double-edged sword,” “at the touch of a button” - signals range without sounding forced.
The main mistakes are stacking several vague adjectives together instead of picking one precise collocation, overusing “technology” as a noun in almost every sentence instead of varying it with “devices,” “apps,” or “tools,” and reaching for a dramatic idiom that does not actually match the point being made about a device or app.
Where this topic comes up
- Part 1Warm-up questions about your own life — “Do you use a smartphone every day?”, and four more below.
- Part 2A two-minute turn on a card such as Describe a piece of technology you find useful, Describe a website or app you use often.
- Part 3The abstract follow-ups, where precision counts most — “Has technology made people more or less connected to each other?”.
- Writing Task 2Essay questions on technology reward exactly the same phrases — a collocation you can say is one you can write.
Instead of… say…
Same idea, sharper words. The left column is what most candidates reach for first; the right is what an examiner hears as precise.
| Instead of | Say |
|---|---|
| use the internet | go onlineshorter, more natural spoken alternative |
| a good app | a user-friendly appnames the specific quality instead of a vague adjective |
| technology is very useful | technology has become indispensableprecise adjective instead of a vague intensifier |
| it broke | it stopped workingmore natural, specific description of a device fault |
| check my phone a lot | be glued to my phoneidiomatic phrase that captures overuse vividly |
| technology helps communication | technology has revolutionised communicationstronger, more precise verb than a plain one |
| get information quickly | access information at the touch of a buttonnatural idiom examiners credit as less common |
| computers make mistakes | technology is prone to glitchesprecise collocation instead of a vague statement |
Phrases by band
Each phrase comes with what it means and one sentence you could actually say. Learn the sentence, not the word on its own.
Band 6 essentials
Clear, correct, common. These carry a whole answer without sounding rehearsed.
-
use a smartphone
collocationto operate a mobile phone with internet access
I use a smartphone for almost everything these days.
-
surf the internet
phrasal verbto browse websites casually
I like to surf the internet whenever I have some spare time.
-
send an email
collocationto write and deliver an electronic message
I need to send an email to my teacher tonight.
-
download an app
collocationto install a program onto a device
I want to download an app that helps me practise vocabulary.
-
charge your phone
collocationto add power to a phone's battery
You should always charge your phone before a long trip.
-
a fast internet connection
collocationan internet connection with high speed
I need a fast internet connection to work from home.
-
take a photo
collocationto capture an image using a camera or phone
I always take a photo before I forget what a place looked like.
-
watch videos online
collocationto view video content through the internet
In the evening, I usually watch videos online instead of watching television.
-
a useful device
collocationa piece of technology that helps in daily life
My laptop is honestly a useful device for almost everything I do.
-
connect to Wi-Fi
collocationto link a device to a wireless internet network
The first thing I do at a cafe is connect to Wi-Fi.
Band 7 collocations
Words that belong together. This is where lexical resource starts to separate a 6 from a 7.
-
be glued to my phone
idiomto look at your phone constantly and excessively
I try not to be glued to my phone during meals.
-
revolutionise the way we communicate
collocationto completely change how people interact with each other
Smartphones really did revolutionise the way we communicate with family abroad.
-
at the touch of a button
idiominstantly and with very little effort
You can book a flight at the touch of a button now.
-
prone to glitches
collocationlikely to have small technical faults
The app is great, but it's still prone to glitches sometimes.
-
keep up with new technology
phrasal verbto stay informed about recent technological developments
It's genuinely hard to keep up with new technology these days.
-
a digital footprint
collocationthe trace of information a person leaves online
Everything you post online becomes part of a digital footprint.
-
switch off from technology
phrasal verbto deliberately stop using devices for a while
I try to switch off from technology at the weekend.
-
streamline a process
collocationto make a task simpler and more efficient
The new system was designed to streamline a process that used to take hours.
-
a game-changer
idiomsomething that significantly changes how things are done
That app was a game-changer for how I organise my studying.
-
information overload
collocationtoo much information to process at once
Scrolling through the news sometimes feels like pure information overload.
-
tech-savvy
wordcomfortable and skilled with using technology
My grandmother is surprisingly tech-savvy for her age.
-
outdated technology
collocationtechnology that is old and no longer effective
The office still runs on outdated technology that constantly crashes.
Band 8 precision
Precise, and often idiomatic. Use one where it genuinely fits, never as decoration.
-
a double-edged sword
idiomsomething with both clear benefits and clear risks
Social media is a double-edged sword for teenagers.
-
bells and whistles
idiomextra attractive features that are not strictly necessary
I don't need all the bells and whistles, just something reliable.
-
cutting-edge
wordextremely modern and using the latest ideas
The lab was full of genuinely cutting-edge equipment.
-
a slippery slope
idioma situation that will likely lead to worse problems
Giving young children unlimited screen time can be a slippery slope.
-
at our fingertips
idiomeasily and immediately available
Information that used to take days to find is now at our fingertips.
-
obsolete
wordno longer used because something newer has replaced it
That old piece of software became completely obsolete almost overnight.
-
a Pandora's box
idioman action that creates many unexpected new problems
Some experts think generative tools have opened a Pandora's box for education.
-
seamlessly integrated
collocationcombined smoothly so parts work together without difficulty
The new features feel seamlessly integrated into the app I already use.
Test yourself
8 sentences from the examples above, with the phrase taken out. Pick the phrase that belongs in the gap — press 1–4 or tap.
Question 1 of 8
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Practise it out loud
A phrase you have only read is not yet yours. Answer these aloud and count how many of the phrases above you actually reach for.
Part 1 questions
- Do you use a smartphone every day?
- What piece of technology could you not live without?
- Do you prefer reading on paper or on a screen?
- How much time do you spend online each day?
- Do you find it easy to learn how to use new devices?
Part 3 questions
- Has technology made people more or less connected to each other?
- Do you think children should be given smartphones at a young age?
- Should governments regulate how much data technology companies collect?
- Is society becoming too dependent on technology?
- Do you think artificial intelligence will replace many jobs in the future?
Frequently asked questions
Do I need words like "obsolete" to sound advanced about technology?
No, precise, natural collocations such as "prone to glitches" usually impress examiners more than rare vocabulary used awkwardly.
Is "tech-savvy" too informal for the test?
No, it is a normal, widely used word in spoken English and fits naturally into Speaking answers about technology.
How do I avoid sounding repetitive when talking about phones and apps?
Build a small set of varied collocations and idioms in advance so you are not relying on "good" and "useful" for every sentence.
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