B2 FIRST · VOCABULARY · TOPIC VOCABULARY
Technology
Words like download, screen time, social media and keep up with.
Finn says
Technology appears in every paper: essays about phones and social media, Listening about apps and inventions, and Speaking questions about how you use the internet. Learn the words in groups, with the words they go with, and try to use two or three of them next time you practise Speaking or Writing.
Using technology
download / upload
copy from / to the internet
I downloaded the app last week.
go online
start using the internet
I go online to check the news every morning.
a device
a phone, tablet, laptop, etc.
How many devices do you have at home?
screen time
time spent looking at screens
Parents worry about children's screen time.
post / share
put something on social media
She posted a photo from her holiday.
keep up with
stay informed about something that changes
It's hard to keep up with new technology.
Talking about technology
user-friendly
easy to use
The new app is very user-friendly.
up to date / out of date
modern / old
My phone is completely out of date.
be addicted to
not be able to stop using
Some teenagers are addicted to their phones.
privacy
keeping your personal information private
Many people worry about their privacy online.
a breakthrough
an important new discovery
The vaccine was a major breakthrough.
rely on
need and trust something
We rely on our phones for almost everything.
Make it better
The same idea, first in basic English, then in the kind of language that gets a higher mark.
- Basic: I use my phone too much.Better: I spend too much screen time on my phone.Uses a common topic expression.
- Basic: The app is easy to use.Better: The app is really user-friendly.A precise adjective.
- Basic: We need our phones for everything.Better: We rely on our phones for almost everything.A natural verb + preposition.
- Basic: My laptop is old.Better: My laptop is out of date.More natural.
Finn's exam tip
In essays about technology, show both sides: 'Although we rely on our phones, too much screen time can affect our sleep.' Using topic words in a balanced argument gets a better mark.
Quick check
Choose the best answer.
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