Mastering Technology Collocations: Examples and Usage

Technology collocations are essential for improving fluency in English, especially in academic exams like IELTS or TOEFL. This guide explores common verb, adjective, and noun collocations, provides sample sentences, and shows how to apply them effectively in both writing and speaking.

I. What Is a Technology Collocation?

A technology collocation refers to a natural combination of words frequently used together in the context of technology. These word pairs or phrases—such as adopt technology, cutting-edge technology, or emerging technologies—sound fluent and accurate to native speakers and are commonly found in both academic writing and everyday English.

Mastering collocations helps learners communicate ideas with greater precision and fluency, especially in standardized exams.

Understanding and applying technology collocations correctly can help you:

• Increase lexical accuracy and sound more natural in English
• Improve coherence and vocabulary range in IELTS/TOEFL Speaking and Writing
• Strengthen your overall language competence in formal contexts

In tests like IELTS or TOEIC, technology is a frequently tested topic, particularly in writing task 2 and speaking part 3. Using topic-specific collocations not only shows strong vocabulary control but also contributes to a higher Lexical Resource score. That’s why learning how to use technology collocations effectively is a smart strategy for exam preparation and real-world communication.

II. Common Technology Collocations with Examples

Technology collocations are word combinations that frequently occur together when discussing topics related to innovation, digital tools, or modern systems. Learning these collocations not only improves your fluency but also helps you sound more natural and accurate in both spoken and written English.

In this section, we’ll explore the most common types of technology collocations—grouped by word form—and provide examples to show how they are used in context.

1. Verb + Technology Collocations

Verb + technology collocations are used to describe actions taken in relation to technology—such as creating, applying, or adapting digital tools, systems, or innovations. These collocations are especially common in academic writing, business communication, and high-scoring IELTS/TOEFL responses.

Here are some of the most useful verb + technology collocations, along with example sentences:

In Education and Learning

In Business and Industry

In Daily Life and Society

2. Adjective + Technology Collocations

Adjective + technology collocations are used to describe the type, quality, status, or impact of a technology. These combinations allow learners to speak and write more precisely when discussing innovation, tools, digital trends, and societal changes.

These collocations are frequently used in:

• IELTS Writing Task 2 (discussing advantages/disadvantages of technology)
• TOEFL Speaking and Writing (explaining the role or quality of a tool)
• Academic essays, reports, and articles

Useful Adjective + Technology Collocations

These adjective + noun phrases are perfect for strengthening both your lexical variety and formality—especially in academic or professional settings. Students aiming for IELTS 7.0+ or formal business English should practice applying these collocations in essays and structured responses.

3. Noun + Noun / Compound Technology Terms

Noun + noun combinations, also known as compound nouns, are commonly used in English to describe specific types of technology, systems, tools, or concepts related to innovation and digital transformation. These structures are standard in academic and professional contexts and help make your language more precise and topic-relevant.

In IELTS or TOEFL writing and speaking tasks, using the right compound noun can demonstrate a strong grasp of technical vocabulary and improve your Lexical Resource score.

Useful Noun + Noun / Compound Technology Collocations

Mastering these compound terms is especially useful in writing structured arguments, describing systems or products, and analyzing the impact of technology on society. They also provide more precision and formality than generic phrases like "technology stuff" or "new tech things."

To fully use these collocations effectively, practice placing them in full sentences, paragraphs, and mock test responses. This will help improve both your vocabulary control and overall academic tone.

III. Using Technology Collocations in IELTS and TOEFL

Technology is one of the most common and flexible topics in English proficiency exams, especially in IELTS and TOEFL. When discussing innovation, digital tools, automation, or social impact, using appropriate technology collocations helps you express ideas more clearly, naturally, and academically.

For Writing Task 2

Collocations can help you build well-structured arguments when writing about advantages/disadvantages, problems/solutions, or opinion-based questions related to technology.

Sample IELTS/TOEFL prompts:

• "Scientific and technological advances bring more problems than benefits. Do you agree?"
• "Some people think modern technology has made individuals less social. Discuss both views."

Useful collocations in writing:

• cutting-edge technology
• digital communication
• data privacy
• artificial intelligence
• emerging technologies
• access to digital tools

Model paragraph using collocations: Modern societies increasingly rely on cutting-edge technology to streamline daily tasks. While these tools improve efficiency, there are concerns about data privacy and social disconnection. For example, excessive use of digital communication may reduce the quality of face-to-face interaction among young people.

For Speaking Part 2 & 3

In IELTS or TOEFL speaking parts, you're often asked to describe experiences or give opinions related to technology. Using topic-specific collocations will make your responses more fluent and natural.

Common questions:

• "Describe a technology you use often."
• "What role does technology play in education or work?"
• "Do you think people rely too much on technology?"

Sample responses with collocations:

• "I often use mobile technology, especially my smartphone, to stay connected with others."
• "At work, we adopted cloud computing to make file sharing across teams more efficient."
• "In my opinion, the rise of artificial intelligence will greatly change job markets in the next decade."

Speaking tips:

• Use collocations naturally—don’t try to force them into every sentence.
• Combine collocations with personal examples or opinions to show fluency and coherence.
• Record yourself practicing with speaking prompts and focus on using 2–3 specific technology collocations per answer.

IV. Exercises on collocations with Technology

Practicing technology-related collocations helps reinforce your understanding and prepares you for real usage in both speaking and writing. Below are several practice activities designed to test your collocational accuracy, sentence formation, and contextual understanding.

Exercise 1: Fill in the Blanks

Complete each sentence with the appropriate collocation using the word “technology.”

1. Many companies are investing heavily in ____.
2. Students rely on ____ to complete online assignments.
3. Governments should support the growth of ____ to reduce pollution.
4. Healthcare professionals have started adopting ____ to monitor patients remotely.
5. The conference focused on the use of ____ in education.

Exercise 2: Choose the Correct Collocation

Select the collocation that best completes the sentence.

1. The company decided to ____ a new AI-driven customer support system.
   A. adapt
   B. adopt
   C. adjust
   D. absorb

2. Online learning has become easier thanks to ____.
   A. emerging devices
   B. outdated platforms
   C. mobile technology
   D. wireless paper

3. Employees are trained to ____ new software quickly.
   A. challenge
   B. approve
   C. upgrade
   D. implement

4. The manager presented the latest ____ at the meeting.
   A. technology trends
   B. spoken technologies
   C. technical vocations
   D. robotic contacts

Exercise 3: Sentence Building

Use the words provided to form correct and natural sentences using technology collocations.

1. rely / on / students / heavily / technology
2. company / cutting-edge / invests / consistently / in / technology
3. wearable / health / for / technology / important / tracking / is
4. mobile / has / communication / changed / technology / completely

Answers

V. Master IELTS With Confidence

Don’t let IELTS stand between you and your future. With comprehensive training in Writing, Speaking, Listening, and Reading, we ensure you’re fully prepared to succeed.

• IELTS learning online: Enroll Now and Unlock Your Potential!