Technology at Home — A2 Essential Words

laptop /ˈlæptɒp/ noun A2 Technology

Meaning: A small, light computer that you can carry, with a screen and keyboard that fold together.

Example: She does her homework on a laptop.

Another example: His laptop battery lasts ten hours.

Collocations: a laptop computer · laptop bag · on my laptop

Synonyms: notebook (computer sense), PC (wider)

Antonyms: desktop

Word family: laptops (n pl)

⚠ Common mistake: Lap + top: it sits on your lap. The heavy office kind is a DESKTOP.

🗣 In spoken American English: Coffee shops are its natural habitat worldwide.

Register: Neutral — tech essential.

charger /ˈtʃɑːrdʒər/ noun A2 Technology

Meaning: A device that puts electricity into a battery, for phones and other electronics.

Example: I forgot my phone charger.

Another example: The charger is plugged in by the bed.

Collocations: phone charger · charger cable · a fast charger

Synonyms: adapter, power brick

Word family: chargers (n pl) · charge (v)

⚠ Common mistake: The most borrowed and lost object of modern life. 'Low battery' made it essential furniture.

🗣 In spoken American English: Airports plant outlets like oases because of this word.

Register: Neutral — tech essential.

printer /ˈprɪntər/ noun A2 Technology

Meaning: A machine connected to a computer that prints text and pictures onto paper.

Example: The printer is out of paper.

Another example: Print the tickets on the office printer.

Collocations: the printer · printer paper · laser printer

Synonyms: printing machine, copier (copies)

Word family: printers (n pl) · print (v)

⚠ Common mistake: Printers that also copy and scan are 'all-in-one'. Their eternal message: 'Paper jam.'

🗣 In spoken American English: Every office has one person who can fix it — a local hero.

Register: Neutral — tech essential.

speaker /ˈspiːkər/ noun A2 Technology

Meaning: A device that makes sound louder from a phone, computer, or music system; also a person who speaks publicly.

Example: The speaker plays music loudly.

Another example: She's a popular public speaker.

Collocations: bluetooth speaker · a loud speaker · guest speaker

Synonyms: loudspeaker, presenter (person)

Word family: speakers (n pl) · speak (v)

⚠ Common mistake: Two speakers in one word: the box that plays sound and the person on stage. Context (music vs meetings) splits them.

🗣 In spoken American English: Smart speakers added ears — they listen for their name all day.

Register: Neutral — tech essential.

headphones /ˈhedfəʊnz/ noun A2 Technology

Meaning: A device worn over or in the ears to listen to music or sound privately.

Example: He listens with headphones on the bus.

Another example: These headphones block outside noise.

Collocations: wear headphones · noise-canceling headphones · a pair of headphones

Synonyms: earbuds (small, in-ear), headset (with microphone)

Word family: headphones (always plural) · headphone (adj use)

⚠ Common mistake: Headphones is plural in form (a PAIR of headphones). Earbuds are the small ones inside the ear.

🗣 In spoken American English: The universal 'do not talk to me' signal of public transport.

Register: Neutral — tech essential.

camera /ˈkæmərə/ noun A2 Technology

Meaning: A device for taking photographs or recording videos.

Example: He took photos with his new camera.

Another example: The camera on this phone is excellent.

Collocations: a digital camera · camera lens · on camera

Synonyms: camcorder (video), webcam

Word family: cameras (n pl) · cameraman (n)

⚠ Common mistake: Say KAM-ruh (two beats, not three). 'On camera' means being filmed — smile, you're on it.

🗣 In spoken American English: Phones swallowed it whole — now every pocket holds one.

Register: Neutral — tech essential.

tablet /ˈtæblət/ noun A2 Technology

Meaning: A thin, flat computer with a touch screen, larger than a phone; also a small solid piece of medicine you swallow.

Example: Kids read books on a tablet.

Another example: Take one tablet twice a day.

Collocations: a tablet computer · tablet screen · medicine tablet

Synonyms: iPad (brand), pill (medicine twin)

Word family: tablets (n pl)

⚠ Common mistake: Two tablets: the screen you touch and the medicine you swallow. The doctor's and the tech store's shelves both stock them.

🗣 In spoken American English: Grandparents read newspapers on the first kind daily.

Register: Neutral — tech and health.

smartphone /ˈsmɑːrtfəʊn/ noun A2 Technology

Meaning: A mobile phone that can connect to the internet and run apps, with a touch screen.

Example: Most people check their smartphone many times a day.

Another example: His smartphone takes great photos.

Collocations: a new smartphone · smartphone apps · smartphone screen

Synonyms: mobile phone, cell phone (US)

Antonyms: landline

Word family: smartphones (n pl)

⚠ Common mistake: In the US people mostly just say 'phone' now — the smart part is assumed. Cell phone is the older American term.

🗣 In spoken American English: It ate the camera, the map, the wallet, and the alarm clock.

Register: Neutral — tech essential.

remote /rɪˈməʊt/ noun / adjective A2 Technology

Meaning: A small device for controlling a TV or other machine from a distance; (adjective) far away from other places.

Example: Pass me the remote, please.

Another example: They live in a remote village.

Collocations: TV remote · remote control · remote work

Synonyms: controller, distant (adj)

Antonyms: nearby, local

Word family: remotes (n pl) · remotely (adv)

⚠ Common mistake: The noun hides between sofa cushions universally. The adjective gave us remote WORK — jobs done far from offices.

🗣 In spoken American English: Every home has three and can find none when the game starts.

Register: Neutral — home tech essential.

plug /plʌɡ/ noun / verb A2 Technology

Meaning: The object at the end of an electric cord that fits into a socket to connect power; to connect it.

Example: Plug the lamp into the wall.

Another example: The plug doesn't fit this socket.

Collocations: plug in · a three-prong plug · unplug it

Synonyms: connector, adapter

Word family: plugs (n pl) · plug (v)

⚠ Common mistake: Plug IN connects; unplug disconnects. Travelers learn that plugs differ by country — adapters exist because of this word.

🗣 In spoken American English: 'Pull the plug' means stop something suddenly and completely.

Register: Neutral — tech basics.