Technology & Internet — A2 Essential Words
Ten essential A2 words (Technology) with the complete apparatus: pronunciation, simple definitions, natural American examples, collocations, family, the common mistake and spoken usage — plus a 15-question practice quiz. Mark your status on every word.
computer /kəmˈpjuː.tɚ/ noun A2 Technology
Meaning: An electronic machine that stores information and helps people work, study, play games, and talk to each other.
Example: Julia does her homework on the family computer.
Another example: My computer is old and very slow now.
Collocations: on the computer · computer games · computer science
Synonyms: PC, machine (informal)
Word family: computer (n) · compute (v) · computing (n)
⚠ Common mistake: Say ’on the computer’ for using it: ’I work on the computer’. Don’t say ’in the computer’ for your work — files are ’on’ it too: ’The file is on my computer’.
🗣 In spoken American English: A laptop is a ’computer’ too. People say ’My computer crashed’ when it suddenly stops working.
Register: neutral — fine in speech and writing
phone /foʊn/ noun A2 Technology
Meaning: A small electronic device you use to talk to people far away, send messages, take photos, and use the internet.
Example: Ethan left his phone at home this morning.
Another example: Can I use your phone to call a taxi?
Collocations: on the phone · phone number · cell phone
Synonyms: cell phone, mobile (British)
Word family: phone (n) · phone (v) · telephone (n — formal)
⚠ Common mistake: In American English, say ’cell phone’ or just ’phone’. ’Mobile phone’ is British. Say ’on the phone’ when someone is talking: ’She’s on the phone’.
🗣 In spoken American English: ’My phone died’ means the battery is empty — not that the phone is broken forever. People ask ’Can I charge my phone here?’
Register: neutral — ’cell phone’ is the clear American word
internet /ˈɪn.tɚ.net/ noun A2 Technology
Meaning: The worldwide system that connects computers, so people can visit websites, send messages, and watch videos anywhere.
Example: The internet at this hotel is very slow.
Another example: I found the answer on the internet.
Collocations: on the internet · internet connection · use the internet
Synonyms: the web, online world
Word family: internet (n) · online (adj/adv)
⚠ Common mistake: Always write ’the internet’ with ’the’: ’on the internet’. Don’t say ’in internet’ or ’on internet’ — the preposition is ’on’ and ’the’ is needed.
🗣 In spoken American English: ’The Wi-Fi is down’ means the internet connection is not working. People ask cafés, ’Do you have Wi-Fi?’
Register: neutral — fine in speech and writing
email /ˈiː.meɪl/ noun and verb A2 Technology
Meaning: A message sent from one computer or phone to another using the internet. As a verb, to send such a message.
Example: I got an email from my teacher about the exam.
Another example: Please email me the photos from the trip.
Collocations: send an email · email address · check my email
Synonyms: message, mail (for the system)
Word family: email (n) · email (v) · mailbox (n)
⚠ Common mistake: Say ’send an email to someone’: ’I sent an email to Lisa’. Don’t say ’I sent Lisa an email yesterday to her’ — one ’to’ is enough when you include the person once.
🗣 In spoken American English: At work people say ’I’ll email it to you’ or ’Check your inbox.’ An email you don’t want is ’spam’ or ’junk mail’.
Register: neutral — fine in speech and writing
website /ˈweb.saɪt/ noun A2 Technology
Meaning: A place on the internet with pages of information about a person, company, school, or topic.
Example: You can buy tickets on the school website.
Another example: This website helps students practice English for free.
Collocations: on a website · website address · visit a website
Synonyms: site, page (for one page of a site)
Word family: website (n) · web (n) · webpage (n)
⚠ Common mistake: Say ’on a website’: ’I read it on a website’. Don’t say ’in a website’. One ’page’ is a single page; the whole place is the ’website’.
🗣 In spoken American English: People say ’Google it’ when they want you to look on the internet. A website’s address is its ’URL’, but most people just say ’the link’.
Register: neutral — fine in speech and writing
screen /skriːn/ noun A2 Technology
Meaning: The flat, lighted part of a computer, phone, TV, or tablet that shows pictures and words.
Example: Don’t touch the screen with dirty hands.
Another example: The map is on the big screen at the station.
Collocations: on the screen · touch screen · screen time
Synonyms: display
Word family: screen (n) · screenshot (n) · screen time (n)
⚠ Common mistake: A ’screenshot’ is a picture of your screen. Don’t call the whole TV or monitor ’the screen’ when you mean the device: ’Turn off the TV’, not ’Turn off the screen’ — unless you mean only the display.
🗣 In spoken American English: Parents talk about ’screen time’ — the hours children spend looking at phones and TVs.
Register: neutral — fine in speech and writing
password /ˈpæs.wɝːd/ noun A2 Technology
Meaning: A secret word or group of letters and numbers that you type to open your phone, email, or an account.
Example: I forgot my password, so I can’t open my email.
Another example: Never share your password with other people.
Collocations: enter your password · forget my password · a strong password
Synonyms: passcode (for numbers on a phone)
Word family: password (n) · pass (v) · username (n)
⚠ Common mistake: Say ’enter’ or ’type’ your password. Don’t say ’write your password’ for typing it into a box, and never tell anyone your password — no real company asks for it.
🗣 In spoken American English: A ’username’ is your public name on a site; the ’password’ is the secret one. Websites ask you to ’log in’ with both.
Register: neutral — fine in speech and writing
app /æp/ noun A2 Technology
Meaning: A small program on a phone or computer that does one job, like taking photos, playing music, or showing maps.
Example: I use a map app to find new places in the city.
Another example: This app helps me practice English words every day.
Collocations: an app for learning · download an app · open the app
Synonyms: application, program
Word family: app (n) · application (n — full form)
⚠ Common mistake: ’App’ is short for ’application’. Say ’an app’ with ’an’. Don’t say ’a app’. For a job or school, the form you fill is also an ’application’ — but that is a different meaning.
🗣 In spoken American English: People say ’There’s an app for that’ — meaning the phone can do almost everything today.
Register: neutral — ’application’ is the formal full word
message /ˈmes.ɪdʒ/ noun and verb A2 Technology
Meaning: A short piece of information that you send to or leave for someone, in writing, by phone, or online.
Example: I sent Clara a message about the party.
Another example: There’s a message for you on the table — Mom called.
Collocations: send a message · text message · leave a message
Synonyms: text, note
Word family: message (n) · message (v) · messenger (n)
⚠ Common mistake: Say ’send a message to someone’: ’I sent a message to Jack.’ Don’t say ’I sent a message for Jack’ when Jack is the person receiving it.
🗣 In spoken American English: ’Text me’ means ’send me a text message’. People answer messages with short forms like ’OK’ and ’See you at 5’.
Register: neutral — fine in speech and writing
download /ˈdaʊn.loʊd/ verb and noun A2 Technology
Meaning: To copy a file, song, app, or video from the internet onto your own phone or computer.
Example: I downloaded the movie for the long flight.
Another example: The download took ten minutes on the hotel internet.
Collocations: download an app · download a file · free download
Synonyms: save (from the internet)
Antonyms: upload
Word family: download (v) · download (n) · upload (v — the opposite)
⚠ Common mistake: ’Download’ takes things down to your device; ’upload’ sends things up from your device. Don’t say ’download to the internet’ — that is uploading.
🗣 In spoken American English: People say ’It’s still downloading’ while they wait. A song you listen to without downloading is ’streaming’.
Register: neutral — fine in speech and writing