Last updated: October 20, 2026
Technology questions ask about the internet, social media, artificial intelligence, and how they change daily life. These words help you discuss both the benefits and the risks.
Each word below has a short meaning and an example sentence written for IELTS. The first six are the core words from our IELTS academic vocabulary list, and the other 24 build your range further. Use them in your essays and in your Speaking Part 3 answers.
If you’re looking for free IELTS Writing practice, click the button below to write an essay and get an instant AI score, including a Lexical Resource band.
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Core Technology Words
Start with these six. They come up again and again in IELTS questions on this topic.
Automation
The use of machines to do work that people did before.
- Automation may replace many routine jobs in factories and offices.
Digital literacy
The ability to use digital technology effectively.
- Schools should teach digital literacy alongside reading and writing.
Innovation
A new idea, method, or product.
- Government funding can encourage innovation in medicine.
Surveillance
The close watching of people, often by the state.
- Some people fear that online surveillance threatens personal freedom.
Obsolete
No longer used because something newer exists.
- Many skills that were valued twenty years ago are now obsolete.
Over-reliance
Depending on something too much.
- An over-reliance on smartphones may weaken our memory.
24 More Technology Words
Once you know the core words, these help you add precision and avoid repeating yourself.
Artificial intelligence
Computer systems that perform tasks that normally need human intelligence.
- Artificial intelligence is already used to read medical scans.
Cutting-edge
Very new and advanced.
- The hospital uses cutting-edge equipment for surgery.
Data privacy
The protection of people’s personal information.
- Stronger laws are needed to protect data privacy.
Cybercrime
Crime committed using computers or the internet.
- Cybercrime costs businesses billions every year.
Technological advances
Progress in technology.
- Technological advances have made communication almost instant.
User-friendly
Easy to use or understand.
- A user-friendly app encourages older people to go online.
Breakthrough
An important new discovery or development.
- The vaccine was developed quickly after a scientific breakthrough.
Connectivity
The ability to connect to the internet or other systems.
- Many rural areas still lack reliable connectivity.
Screen time
The time someone spends looking at a screen.
- Parents should set limits on children’s screen time.
The digital divide
The gap between people who have access to technology and those who do not.
- Free laptops for students help to close the digital divide.
Social networking
Using websites and apps to connect with other people.
- Social networking has changed how young people form friendships.
Misinformation
False or inaccurate information.
- Misinformation spreads faster online than the corrections that follow it.
Algorithm
A set of rules that a computer follows to make decisions.
- Social media algorithms decide which posts we see.
E-commerce
Buying and selling goods online.
- The growth of e-commerce has forced many small shops to close.
Virtual
Existing on computers or online rather than physically.
- Virtual meetings save companies time and travel costs.
Gadget
A small electronic device.
- Children now receive expensive gadgets at a very young age.
Tech-savvy
Good at understanding and using technology.
- Young employees are often more tech-savvy than their managers.
Disruptive
Changing an industry or system in a major way.
- Ride-sharing apps were highly disruptive to the taxi industry.
Cybersecurity
Protection of computer systems against attacks.
- Banks invest heavily in cybersecurity.
Addictive
Making people want to keep using something.
- Many apps are deliberately designed to be addictive.
Streaming
Watching or listening to content online without downloading it.
- Streaming services have replaced traditional television for many families.
Wearable technology
Electronic devices worn on the body, such as smartwatches.
- Wearable technology can monitor a person’s heart rate and sleep.
Intrusive
Entering someone’s private life in an unwelcome way.
- Many people find targeted advertising intrusive.
Remote access
Using a computer system from a different place.
- Remote access allows doctors to check patients’ records from home.
Using These Words in IELTS Writing
Lexical Resource is a quarter of your Writing band. Examiners look for a range of topic words used accurately and in natural combinations, not for the longest words you know.
- Use a few well, not many badly. Three or four precise words in an essay are worth more than ten forced ones.
- Learn the word with its partners. Note the collocations in each example sentence, such as the verb that goes with a noun.
- Paraphrase the question. Topic words help you restate the question in your introduction without copying it.
Try these words in a real IELTS Writing Task 2 question:
For natural word pairs on this topic, see our IELTS collocations by topic, and to connect your ideas, our IELTS linking words.
Using These Words in IELTS Speaking Part 3
Lexical Resource also counts for a quarter of your Speaking band. Part 3 is where these words fit best: the examiner asks abstract questions about society, causes, and the future, and a precise topic word shows the range that band 7 and above require. In Part 1, everyday words usually sound more natural.
- Use the word in your own sentence. Memorised phrases are easy for examiners to spot.
- Keep the tone conversational. Mix academic words with natural spoken phrases such as “I’d say” and “on top of that”.
- Support every word with an example. A topic word followed by a real example is what develops a Part 3 answer.
Sample Part 3 answer
Well, I’d say artificial intelligence will have the biggest impact. Automation is likely to take over many routine jobs, so people will need much stronger digital literacy to stay employable. On the positive side, wearable technology could help doctors spot health problems early. Having said that, I do worry about data privacy, because the more connected our lives become, the more personal information companies will hold about us.
The words in bold are from this page. Notice that each one is part of a natural spoken sentence, followed by a reason or an example.
Practise using these words in a real IELTS Speaking Part 3 answer:
For more questions and the answer patterns that fit them, see our IELTS Speaking Part 3 questions.
More IELTS Academic Vocabulary
Each page has 30 words with examples. For the six core words of every topic on one page, see our IELTS academic vocabulary list.
Education Environment Health Work and the Economy Society and Government Culture and Globalisation Presenting an Argument Cause and Effect Describing Data
Frequently Asked Questions
helpWhat vocabulary do I need for IELTS technology topics?expand_moreexpand_less
Learn words for both the benefits and the risks of technology, such as innovation, connectivity, data privacy, and misinformation. Technology questions usually ask you to weigh one against the other.
helpHow can I use technology vocabulary in IELTS Speaking?expand_moreexpand_less
Part 3 often asks how technology will change our lives or affect young people. Words such as artificial intelligence and screen time help you answer precisely without sounding memorised.
helpHow do I remember technology vocabulary for IELTS?expand_moreexpand_less
Learn each word with an example sentence and the words it is usually used with, review the list a few times a week, and use three or four of the words in every practice essay and Speaking Part 3 answer until they feel natural.