This document provides useful vocabulary related to technology. It defines common terms used to refer to electronic equipment such as devices, machines, gadgets, gizmos, and appliances. It also describes different types of computers, including tablets, desktops, and laptops. It lists common computer hardware like the CPU, keyboard, screen/monitor, printer, mouse, and scanner. It discusses types of phones such as mobile phones, smartphones, and landline phones. It also covers types of televisions like portable, flat-screen, plasma, and high-definition TVs. Finally, it presents useful phrasal verbs and adjectives related to technology.

1. Technology
Useful vocabulary

2. PIECES OF TECHNOLOGY
• Terms to refer to electronic equipment:
•
•
•
•
•
device
machine
gadget (small objects)
gizmo (small objects, informal)
appliance (mostly for housework)
• More generic terms:
• item
• thingummy

3. COMPUTERS
Types of computers:
tablet
desktop
computer
laptop
computer

4. COMPUTERS - HARDWARE
tower
CPU (Central
Processing Unit)
keyboard
screen / monitor

5. COMPUTERS - HARDWARE
printer
mouse
on a mouse mat (BrE)
or a mousepad (AmE)
scanner

6. COMPUTERS - HARDWARE
What is the plural form of this type of “mouse”?
mice
mouses

7. COMPUTERS - SOFTWARE

8. PHONES
Types of phones:
mobile phone
cell phone
(AmE)
smartphone
with a touch screen
landline phone

9. PHONES
What type of phone can you use while you’re
driving?
a hands-free phone

10. TELEVISION
Types of televisions:
portable television
flat-screen television
plasma screen television
high-definition television

11. TELEVISION
How do you change the channel if you don’t
want to stand up? You use a...
remote (control)

12. USEFUL PHRASAL VERBS
If you want to use any electronic device, the first
thing you have to do is turn it...
on
If you have finished using it, then you turn it...
off
An alternative for the verb “turn” in these
sentences is the verb...
switch

13. USEFUL PHRASAL VERBS
If the music is too low, you can turn it...
up
If it is too loud, you can turn it...
down
If a machine stops working, it may have
broken...
down

14. USEFUL PHRASAL VERBS
If the battery of your mobile phone is flat, you
need to charge it...
up
If you want to have a document in paper, you
need to print it...
out
Or you can also print it...
off

15. USEFUL PHRASAL VERBS
If the document you are reading is long, you use
the mouse to scroll...
down
If you want to re-read a section of the document,
you can always scroll back...
up
If you want to use any of these machines, you need
to plug them...
in
(into a socket)

16. USEFUL ADJECTIVES
POSITIVE
modern
NEGATIVE
old-fashioned
up-to-date
outdated
state-of-the-art
obsolete
cutting-edge
groundbreaking

17. FILL IN THE GAPS
1. A washing machine is a kind of
.
2. This
is missing the letter “p”.
3. You will need a
if you want to
digitise those documents.
4. Now that I have a mobile phone, I barely use
the
.
5. I went on a hiking trip the other day and my
phone had no
there.

18. FILL IN THE GAPS
6. This piece of furniture is very narrow: I think that
only a
TV would fit.
7. Where’s the
? I want to switch
the channel.
8. Please turn
the volume. That’s too loud.
9. Can you scroll back
? I couldn’t read the first
question.
10. The mobile phone was a
invention.

19. FILL IN THE GAPS
1. A washing machine is a kind of appliance .
2. This keyboard is missing the letter “p”.
3. You will need a scanner if you want to
digitise those documents.
4. Now that I have a mobile phone, I barely use
the landline.
5. I went on a hiking trip the other day and my
phone had no reception there.

20. FILL IN THE GAPS
6. This piece of furniture is very narrow: I think that
only a flat-screen TV would fit.
7. Where’s the remote (control) ? I want to switch
the channel.
8. Please turn down the volume. That’s too loud.
9. Can you scroll back up ? I couldn’t read the first
question.
groundbreaking
10. The mobile phone was a
invention.