What 'technology' covers: Technology is part of the theme Human ingenuity. This section gives you the words for it.
You need vocabulary to…
- talk about devices, the internet, social media, apps and artificial intelligence
- talk about how technology shapes work and daily life
- give your opinion about them
How to use this list: The words below are common English B vocabulary. Treat the list as a glossary: learn each term with its meaning and a synonym, then reuse them in the reading and writing sections.
- device / gadget
- a piece of equipment such as a phone, tablet or laptop
- screen
- the flat surface of a phone, computer or TV that shows images
- app (application)
- a program you run on a phone or computer to do a task
- social media
- online platforms where people share posts and messages
- to browse the internet
- to look at different websites, often without a fixed goal
- artificial intelligence (AI)
- computer systems that can do tasks that normally need human thinking
- to code / coding
- to write the instructions (programs) that make software work
- tool
- something you use to do a job; here, technology used for a purpose
- to be connected / online
- to be linked to the internet and reachable by others
- to rely on / depend on technology
- to need technology in order to do everyday things
- screen time
- the amount of time you spend looking at a screen each day
- to switch off / unplug
- to stop using screens and take a break
- to use technology sensibly
- to use it in a careful, balanced and responsible way
| Useful expression | What it means |
|---|---|
| I spend too much time in front of a screen. | My daily screen time is higher than it should be. |
| I can't live without my phone. | I feel I depend on my phone a great deal. |
| I use an app to organise my studies. | A program helps me plan and keep track of my work. |
| Artificial intelligence is everywhere. | AI is now part of many everyday products and services. |
| You have to use technology sensibly. | You should use it in a careful, balanced way. |
Why this matters: This vocabulary turns up in every skill — a reading text about social media, a listening interview about a phone ban, a Paper 1 blog about apps, or your oral. Reusing precise topic words is how you score Criterion A (Language).
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Have something to say: Examiners reward developed ideas, not just vocabulary. Take a position and back it up.
Common debates around technology
- Too much screen time vs staying connected.
- Does social media help or harm?
- Will robots and AI destroy jobs or create them?
Opinion phrases (use these to introduce a view)
- In my opinion… / From my point of view… — to introduce what you think
- It seems to me that… / I believe that… — a slightly softer way to give a view
- The most important thing is… — to highlight your main point
- On the one hand… on the other hand… — to weigh up two sides
- I (completely) agree that… / I'm not convinced that… — to react to an idea
Drawbacks of technology
- We spend too much time hooked on screens.
- Social media can affect our self-esteem and our sleep.
- Some people fear that robots will take their jobs away.
Benefits
- Technology connects us with people all over the world.
- Apps help us study and stay organised.
- Artificial intelligence also creates new kinds of jobs.
Technology at school
- Apps for schoolwork: helpful or distracting?
- Notes on a laptop or with a pen
- Old equipment, AI tools, virtual visits
Technology in daily life
- Translation and language-learning apps
- Augmented and virtual reality
- Drones, delivery robots, driverless cars
Risks and rules
- Your digital footprint lasts for ever
- Cyber security and online fraud
- Asking permission, AI that is unfair
- a digital footprint
- everything you post or do online, which others can find later
- cyber security
- protecting computers, accounts and data from attacks
- artificial intelligence (AI)
- computer systems that do tasks that normally need human thinking
- augmented reality (AR)
- digital images added to the real world on a screen
- bias (in AI)
- unfair results because the data the system learned from was incomplete
- outdated
- old and no longer good enough for what is needed today
Link your ideas: Connectors lift your answer from a list into an argument: moreover (to add), however (to contrast), therefore (to conclude), although (to concede). Use at least two or three in any written answer.
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Read like Paper 2: Here is a short blog post — the kind of text Paper 2 (Reading) gives you. Read it once just for the general idea; don't worry about every word. Then we'll work through one exam question together.
My uncle's shop goes online (1 of 2): Last spring my uncle told me that his small bike shop was losing customers, because people now compared prices and booked repairs on the internet. He had never used a computer for work, so I offered to help.
I had no idea how to build a website, but I learned everything from free online videos. It took me three weekends.
My uncle's shop goes online (2 of 2)
I added photos of the bikes, a price list and a simple form for booking repairs. Within two months, half of his bookings were arriving through the website. I realised that technology doesn't only replace small businesses — it can also help them survive. Next year I want to learn programming properly.
- to lose customers
- to have fewer and fewer people buying from you
- to compare prices
- to look at what different shops charge before you buy
- to book (a repair)
- to arrange in advance for something to be done
- within (two months)
- before (two months) have passed
- to survive
- to continue to exist despite difficulties
IB-style task — one Paper 2 question
One question, step by step
- The question — "According to the text, how did the writer learn to build the website?"
- Find it in the text. Look for the word "learned": "I had no idea how to build a website, but I learned everything from free online videos."
- The answer — From free online videos. The words are right there in the text, so no outside knowledge is needed.
Reading technique: For an "according to the text" question, find the exact line that proves your answer — don't rely on memory or general knowledge.
The task: Your school is running a technology-and-the-future week. Write an opinion column for the school newspaper: give your view on whether technology helps or harms young people and say how it should be used.
Write 450–600 words.
Opinion column structure — 5 steps
1
Headline
A short, punchy headline that shows your view. "Stop blaming the screen"
2
Your position
Say what you think in the first lines. "In my view, the problem is how we use it."
3
Arguments
Back it up with reasons and an example. "I used to spend the whole day on my phone…"
4
Answer the other side
Some people say… However… "Some people say… However…"
5
Conclusion
Finish with a firm final line. "It's up to us to use it well."
Headline → Position → Arguments → Rebuttal → Conclusion
Model: the 5 steps in ~100 words
The opinion column, step by step
- Stop blaming the screen
- Technology does not ruin our lives. In my view, the problem is how we use it.
- I used to spend the whole day on my phone and barely spoke to my family. Then I took a coding course and saw the other side: technology can be creative and useful. Learn to code so you don't get left behind.
- Some people say we should ban phones at school. However, a ban teaches us nothing; learning to switch off for a while every day teaches us a lot.
- Technology is just a tool, and it's up to us to use it well.
Why it works: A strong opinion column does this for each of the three Paper 1 criteria:
A — Language /12
- Range of tenses: past "I used to spend", "I took", modal "we should"
- Connectors: "in my view", "then", "however"
- Topic vocabulary: coding, ban, switch off
B — Message /12
- Task fully done: gives a clear view AND says how to use technology
- Arguments backed by a personal example
C — Conceptual /6
- Column conventions: a punchy headline that shows the view
- A clear position in the first lines
- Answers the other side: "Some people say… However…"
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