The subject of ‘Technology’ frequently comes up in the IELTS Speaking exam. You may be asked to talk about something you own, your favourite websites, how technology has impacted on education etc. You’ll need to show the examiner your ability to express yourself using as wide a range of vocabulary as possible.

Read the following IELTS-style questions and answers below and pay attention to the phrases in bold. Use the ‘Definitions’ section at the bottom of the page to check the meaning of any phrases you don’t understand.

Part 1-style questions

Examiner: Do you enjoy using technology?
Stephan: Well … I wouldn’t call myself a techie or a computer buff but I enjoy using computers … I’d like to find out more about how they work … when my computer crashes I never know what to do.

Examiner: Do you use the Internet for your studies?
Sophie: Yes … I’d be lost without it … I do lots of video conferencing to practise speaking and social media like Facebook is a good way to meet up with other students … and I download podcasts that teach English vocabulary and grammar.

Examiner: Do you have your own computer?
Tania: Yes … I have a Macbook Pro … I use it all the time … for word processing … browsing websites and catching up with TV programmes I’ve missed.

Part 2-style task

Describe an item of technology you have that is very important. You should say:

what the technology is
when you got it
how often you use it

and say how different your daily life would be without it.

Mattie: I don’t have many gadgets … just a computer … a laptop and my mobile phone … but I’ll talk about my computer as it’s so useful … it’s funny really … ۲ years ago I was still learning to use computers … how to use email … send attachments how to access websites … then I decided to do a digital editing course for video and photography … and so I bought the laptop when I started the course … my husband had a desktop PC but it was very slow so I decided to upgrade to a powerful one because we do a lot of video editing on the course … it’s a high-spec laptop … very fast … the latest operating system … it boots up really quickly and it’s fun to use so it makes working a pleasure … I’ve become a competent computer user now … if I didn’t have it I daresay I’d have to spend more time at college using their computers … but on the positive side I suppose I’d read a lot more if I didn’t have it … I probably waste a lot of time surfing the web … but hopefully I won’t have to be without it …

Part 3-style questions

Examiner: What do you think are the important things people need to learn when they start using computers?
Alejandro: Well … there are things like how to use the Internet … how to enter a web address … how to navigate websites … that kind of thing but it’s also important to know how to back up your files in case your computer crashes … and all about Internet security.

Examiner: What kind of technological developments have made the biggest impact on our lives?
Faydene: In my lifetime it has to be the Internet of course but I also think wifi has made a huge difference to how we interact with the Internet … wireless networks at home and public wifi hotspots mean we can go online easily … access our mail … log into our work intranet and basically be connected wherever we are.

Examiner: Do computers make it much easier to study?
Jane: Definitely yes … researching information is much easier with the Internet .. you can bookmark webpages for future reference and writing essays is much easier … being able to cut and paste sections of text means you can experiment with organisation … so yes … compared to years ago when you had a pile of books on your desk and a pen and paper … it’s now much easier.

Definitions

to access websites/email: to locate
to back up files: to make a copy of files in case of a computer problem
to boot up: to start a computer
to bookmark a webpage: to mark a webpage for future reference
to browse websites: to look at websites
a computer buff: an expert computer user
to crash: to suddenly stop working
to cut and paste: to move text or images from one place in a document to another place
a desktop PC: a computer that isn’t portable and remains in situ on a desk
digital editing: to edit digital materials like audio or video files
download (podcasts): to save a copy of a file from the internet to your own device
to enter a web address: to type the address of a website into the address bar of your browser
a gadget: a technological tool like a mobile phone or camera
to go online: to start using the Internet
high-spec (laptop): powerful computer with top quality components
Internet security: Internet safety
intranet: a network of connected computers within an organisation that is not accessible by unauthorised visitors
to navigate a website: to find your way around a website
operating system: the software that tells the computer how to work
send an attachment: send an email with an accompanying file
social media: media used to interact with other people such as Facebook or Twitter
to surf the web: to look at a series of websites one after the other
a techie: somebody who has an interest in technology
to upgrade: to obtain a more powerful or feature-rich computer or piece of software
video conferencing: to see and hear people from different locations using the Internet
wireless hotspot: a public place where you can access the Internet
wireless network: a network where users can access the Internet without the use of fixed cables
word processing; producing written texts on a computer