Technology & Internet Vocabulary for IELTS
Technology questions test whether you can move past everyday lexis (‘computer’, ‘phone’, ‘the internet’) into the register an examiner expects at band 7+: digital divide, automation, cybersecurity, screen time. Writing Task 2 prompts increasingly target the social and economic effects of new technology rather than the gadgets themselves, so the vocabulary below leans toward concepts you can build an argument around rather than product names.
IELTS prompts where this vocabulary fits
- Speaking Part 1: How often do you use the internet?
- Speaking Part 3: Will artificial intelligence make most jobs obsolete?
- Writing Task 2: Some people argue that the internet has done more harm than good. Discuss both views and give your opinion.
Technology & Internet vocabulary table
Each row gives the word, part of speech, plain-English definition, an IELTS-style example sentence, common collocations, and an optional band-7+ synonym you can swap in for variety.
| Word | POS | Definition | IELTS-style example | Collocations | Band-7+ synonym |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| digital divide | n. | The gap between people with effective access to digital technology and those without. | “The digital divide between urban and rural communities has narrowed but remains significant in low-income countries.” | bridge the digital divide, widen the digital divide | technology gap |
| cybersecurity | n. | The protection of computer systems and networks from attack. | “Investment in cybersecurity has risen sharply as financial institutions move services online.” | cybersecurity threat, cybersecurity expert | online security |
| artificial intelligence | n. | Computer systems able to perform tasks normally requiring human intelligence. | “Artificial intelligence is already widely used in fraud detection and medical imaging.” | advances in artificial intelligence, ethical artificial intelligence | machine intelligence |
| automation | n. | The use of machines or software to perform tasks previously done by people. | “Automation is reshaping warehouse work, with robots now handling much of the routine sorting.” | workplace automation, increasing automation | mechanisation |
| virtual reality | n. | A computer-generated three-dimensional environment users can interact with. | “Virtual reality is starting to play a role in surgical training and architecture.” | virtual-reality headset, immersive virtual reality | VR |
| social media | n. | Websites and apps that allow users to share content and interact. | “Excessive social media use has been linked to higher rates of anxiety in adolescents.” | social-media platform, social-media addiction | online networks |
| screen time | n. | The amount of time spent looking at a phone, tablet, or computer screen. | “Health authorities recommend limiting daily screen time for children under twelve.” | excessive screen time, reduce screen time | digital exposure |
| digital native | n. | A person who has grown up with digital technology since childhood. | “Digital natives generally adapt to new software more quickly than their parents' generation.” | true digital native, digital-native generation | tech-native |
| e-commerce | n. | The buying and selling of goods and services online. | “E-commerce has overtaken physical retail in several product categories since 2020.” | e-commerce platform, growth of e-commerce | online retail |
| streaming | n. | Watching or listening to media transmitted over the internet rather than downloading. | “Streaming services have transformed how television is produced and consumed.” | streaming platform, video streaming | on-demand |
| cloud computing | n. | Storing and accessing data over the internet rather than on a local computer. | “Cloud computing enables small businesses to use the same software tools as large corporations.” | cloud-computing service, migrate to cloud computing | remote storage |
| data privacy | n. | The right of individuals to control how their personal information is collected and used. | “Stricter data privacy regulations have forced many companies to redesign their consent processes.” | data-privacy law, breach data privacy | information protection |
| hacker | n. | A person who illegally gains access to computer systems. | “A sophisticated hacker can move from a phishing email to full network access within minutes.” | skilled hacker, ethical hacker | cybercriminal |
| cyberbullying | n. | The use of digital technology to threaten or harass others. | “Schools increasingly include cyberbullying awareness in their pastoral programmes.” | victim of cyberbullying, tackle cyberbullying | online harassment |
| addiction | n. | A condition where a person cannot stop using something despite harm. | “Smartphone addiction is now recognised in several diagnostic frameworks as a behavioural disorder.” | internet addiction, smartphone addiction | compulsive use |
| productivity | n. | The rate at which work is completed. | “Studies are split on whether technology has actually increased office productivity over the past decade.” | boost productivity, drop in productivity | efficiency |
| tech-savvy | adj. | Knowledgeable about and comfortable with technology. | “Today's recruiters expect new graduates to be tech-savvy across at least three productivity tools.” | tech-savvy generation, less tech-savvy | digitally literate |
| user-friendly | adj. | Easy to use, especially by people without technical expertise. | “User-friendly interfaces have made online banking accessible to older customers.” | user-friendly design, user-friendly app | intuitive |
| gadget | n. | A small mechanical or electronic device. | “Many candidates own several gadgets they rarely use after the first month.” | new gadget, latest gadget | device |
| breakthrough | n. | An important development or discovery. | “Each breakthrough in battery technology immediately accelerates the shift to electric vehicles.” | scientific breakthrough, major breakthrough | advance |
| obsolete | adj. | No longer in use or out of date. | “Many specialised job skills become obsolete within a decade of being taught.” | rapidly obsolete, render obsolete | outdated |
| telecommuting | n. | Working from home using digital tools to communicate with colleagues. | “Telecommuting has changed long-distance commuting patterns in most large cities.” | telecommuting arrangement, full-time telecommuting | remote work |
| misinformation | n. | False or inaccurate information, especially that spread deliberately. | “The spread of medical misinformation on social media remains a persistent public-health challenge.” | online misinformation, combat misinformation | false news |
| surveillance | n. | The close monitoring of a person, place, or system. | “Mass surveillance technology has prompted intense debate over the limits of state power.” | mass surveillance, surveillance camera | monitoring |
| smart device | n. | An electronic device that connects to other devices or networks. | “Smart devices in modern homes can adjust heating, lighting, and security automatically.” | smart-device ecosystem, install smart devices | connected device |
| disrupt | v. | To cause an industry or market to change radically. | “Streaming platforms have disrupted the traditional film-distribution model beyond recognition.” | disrupt an industry, disrupt the market | transform |
| scalable | adj. | Able to grow easily without losing performance. | “Cloud-based services are scalable in a way that on-premises servers rarely are.” | scalable solution, scalable platform | extensible |
| bandwidth | n. | The amount of data that can be transmitted over a network in a given time. | “Low household bandwidth often becomes the bottleneck for remote video meetings.” | limited bandwidth, high-bandwidth connection | network capacity |
| upgrade | v. / n. | To improve to a newer or better version. | “Most users upgrade their smartphone every two to three years.” | software upgrade, hardware upgrade | improvement |
| interface | n. | The point of interaction between user and device. | “A well-designed interface reduces the time new users need to become productive.” | user interface, intuitive interface | front-end |
Band-8 sample answer
Sample band-8 Speaking Part 3 answer to: ‘Has the internet brought more benefits or more problems to society?’
The internet has clearly delivered enormous benefits, but I think the most underrated drawback is the spread of misinformation. Social media platforms reward engagement rather than accuracy, which has accelerated the circulation of false claims faster than fact-checking can keep up. At the same time, the same technology has narrowed the digital divide for millions of users in developing countries and made high-quality distance learning possible at almost no cost. The net effect depends heavily on how individuals manage their screen time and data privacy.
Words used: misinformation, social media, digital divide, distance learning, screen time, data privacy
Using these in IELTS Speaking
IELTS Speaking rewards natural production over recall. Aim to slip a higher-register word like digital divide or cloud computing into your answer at the moment the question invites it, rather than forcing a memorised phrase into the opening sentence. Examiners notice when vocabulary feels rehearsed.
If you are not sure of a collocation, use a slightly safer word you control. A single confident use of obsolete in Part 3 — where the question explicitly invites discussion — gives examiners more evidence of range than a stilted opening sentence with three advanced terms.
Using these in IELTS Writing Task 2
Writing Task 2 rewards precise topic vocabulary in body paragraphs more than in the introduction. The introduction restates the prompt and signals your position; the body paragraphs are where examiners look for evidence of lexical range. Anchor each body paragraph on one main idea and weave in two or three words from this page that genuinely advance the argument.
Avoid the temptation to use every word on this page in a single essay. Two or three accurate uses of less common vocabulary is band-7 territory; five forced uses without natural collocation is a band-6 signal. Pair higher-register vocabulary with simple, grammatically clean sentences rather than the other way around.
Common traps to avoid
The most common technology & internet trap at band 6.5 is collocation mismatch — using a word in a combination native speakers would not produce. The collocations column on the table above is the most important field for avoiding this; learn digital divide not as a single word but as part of the collocations listed beside it.
The second trap is register mismatch: using an informal word in a Writing Task 2 essay, or an overly formal word in a personal Speaking answer. The example sentences on this page are calibrated to the register IELTS expects for each section listed in the header.
Common questions
How many of these technology & internet words do I actually need to know?
Will I lose marks if I use an unfamiliar word incorrectly?
Where in the IELTS exam does technology & internet vocabulary appear?
How should I memorise this vocabulary effectively for IELTS?
Are these words on the Academic Word List?
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