Technology Vocabulary for IELTS Writing Task 2: Beyond "Internet" and "Computer"

Reading time: 9 minutes

Technology questions appear constantly in IELTS Writing Task 2. You'll write about social media, automation, digital communication, and artificial intelligence. The problem? Most candidates write the same essay with the same words: "technology is developing fast," "people use the internet," "computers change our lives."

These phrases are so overused they've become invisible to examiners. They mark you as a Band 5-6 writer immediately.

Band 7+ requires "less common vocabulary" used "with awareness of style and collocation." Here's how to actually achieve that in technology essays.

The Digital Era: Core Vocabulary

Master these fundamental terms before anything else.

The Big Picture

• The digital age/era — the current period characterized by digital technology
• Technological advancement — progress in technology ("Rapid technological advancement has transformed communication")
• Digital revolution — the massive shift to digital technology
• Cutting-edge technology — the most advanced technology available
• Innovation — new ideas, methods, or inventions

Types of Technology

• Information technology (IT) — computing and telecommunications
• Artificial intelligence (AI) — machines that simulate human intelligence
• Automation — technology performing tasks without human intervention
• Digital infrastructure — the fundamental tech systems of a society

Describing Technology

• State-of-the-art — the most recent and advanced
• Sophisticated — complex and highly developed
• User-friendly — easy to use
• Obsolete — outdated and no longer useful
• Ubiquitous — found everywhere ("Smartphones have become ubiquitous")

Internet and Connectivity Vocabulary

Online Activity

• Browse — look through internet content casually
• Surf the web — explore various websites
• Navigate — move through digital content
• Stream — receive content in real-time ("stream music")
• Download/upload — transfer data to/from devices

Connectivity Terms

• Internet connectivity — access to the internet
• Wireless network — internet without cables
• Cloud computing — storing data on remote servers
• Digital platform — online environment for specific activities
• Internet of Things (IoT) — everyday objects connected online

High-Value Collocations

These word partnerships appear in Band 7+ essays. For more on using collocations correctly, see our guide to common collocation mistakes in IELTS Writing.

With "technology"

• Embrace technology — adopt it willingly
• Harness technology — use it effectively for a purpose
• Leverage technology — use it to gain advantage
• Rely heavily on technology
• Have access to technology

With "digital"

• Digital literacy — ability to use digital technology effectively
• Digital divide — gap between those with/without tech access
• Digital footprint — trace of online activity
• Digital detox — break from technology use
• Digital transformation — shifting processes to digital methods

With "online"

• Online presence — existence on the internet
• Online security — protection of digital information
• Online interaction — communication via internet
• Online verification — confirming identity/information digitally

Vocabulary for Technology Arguments

Positive effects:

• Enhance productivity — make work more efficient
• Facilitate communication — make it easier
• Revolutionize — completely change ("Technology has revolutionized education")
• Streamline processes — make them simpler and faster
• Bridge distances — connect people far apart
• Democratize access — make something available to everyone

Negative effects:

• Erode privacy — gradually damage personal privacy
• Foster dependency — create reliance on something
• Exacerbate inequality — make unfairness worse
• Diminish face-to-face interaction
• Lead to information overload
• Contribute to sedentary lifestyles

Discussing change:

• Unprecedented rate — faster than ever before
• Rapid pace of change
• Transformative impact
• Far-reaching consequences
• Paradigm shift — fundamental change in approach

Sample Sentence Transformations

See how vocabulary transforms generic statements into Band 7+ writing. For more transformation examples, check our vocabulary building strategies.

Basic (Band 5-6):
"Technology is very important in our lives today."

Advanced (Band 7+):
"Digital technology has become ubiquitous in modern society, fundamentally transforming how people communicate, work, and access information."

Basic:
"Social media has good and bad effects."

Advanced:
"While social media platforms facilitate global connectivity and democratize information sharing, they simultaneously raise concerns about privacy erosion and the spread of misinformation."

Basic:
"Old people cannot use technology well."

Advanced:
"The digital divide is particularly pronounced among elderly populations, many of whom lack the digital literacy to navigate modern technology confidently."

Topic-Specific Vocabulary Clusters

Social Media Essays:

• Social networking sites/platforms
• User-generated content
• Viral content/going viral
• Online community
• Echo chamber
• Algorithm-driven content
• Digital reputation
• Cyberbullying

Automation and Jobs Essays:

• Workforce displacement
• Job obsolescence
• Reskilling/upskilling
• Human-machine collaboration
• Labour market disruption
• Technological unemployment
• Adaptable workforce

Privacy and Security Essays:

• Data collection/harvesting
• Surveillance technology
• Personal information
• Cyber threats
• Data breach
• Encryption
• Digital privacy
• Consent

Communication Essays:

• Instant messaging
• Video conferencing
• Virtual communication
• Remote work/working
• Asynchronous communication
• Real-time interaction
• Non-verbal cues

Common Vocabulary Mistakes

Avoiding these errors is essential for Band 7+. See our complete guide on formal vs informal language for more.

Wrong collocations:

• "Do the internet" → "Use the internet" or "Go online"
• "Technology grows" → "Technology advances/develops"
• "Very modern technology" → "Cutting-edge/state-of-the-art technology"
• "Get information from internet" → "Access information online"

Vague terms to make specific:

• "Technology" → Be specific: "digital technology," "communication technology," "medical technology"
• "Social media" → Specify when relevant: "social networking platforms," "content-sharing sites"
• "The internet" → "Online platforms," "digital spaces," "web-based services"

Academic Vocabulary for Technology Essays

Use these to sound more sophisticated:

• Pervade — spread throughout ("Technology pervades modern life")
• Proliferate — increase rapidly ("Smartphones have proliferated globally")
• Complement — enhance by combining ("Technology should complement, not replace, human interaction")
• Supplant — replace completely ("Automation may supplant certain manual jobs")
• Facilitate — make easier ("Digital platforms facilitate remote collaboration")
• Mitigate — reduce negative effects ("Education can mitigate technology-related risks")

Practice Paragraph

Rewrite this Band 5 paragraph using vocabulary from this post:

"Nowadays technology is everywhere. People use phones and computers every day. The internet helps people do many things like shopping and talking to friends. But some people think too much technology is bad. They say people do not talk face-to-face anymore."

Suggested improvement:
"Digital technology has become ubiquitous in contemporary society, with smartphones and computers integral to daily routines. Online platforms facilitate numerous activities, from e-commerce to maintaining social connections across distances. However, critics argue that excessive reliance on technology is detrimental to interpersonal relationships, as digital communication increasingly supplants meaningful face-to-face interaction."

Building Your Technology Vocabulary

Technology vocabulary evolves constantly. Keep current by reading tech news from sources like BBC Technology or The Guardian's technology section. Notice how professional writers describe new developments.

The key is moving from general terms ("technology is important") to specific, precise language ("cutting-edge technology enhances workplace productivity"). This precision signals Band 7+ competence.

For more vocabulary development strategies, explore our complete IELTS vocabulary guide and learn about avoiding repetition in essays.

Struggling to use technology vocabulary naturally in essays? Our AI identifies your specific word choice patterns and suggests targeted improvements.