Lesson

IT & Computers

Advanced technology and computing terms

≈ 15 min 8 block(s)

Text

IT & Computers — Key Vocabulary

This lesson introduces essential IT and computer vocabulary used in business and technical contexts. You will learn definitions, typical collocations, and see examples you might encounter in office emails, technical reports, and meetings.

  • Focus on nouns and verbs common in IT: server, database, backup, update, encryption, cloud.
  • Learn how these terms are used in professional sentences and instructions.
  • Practice with quizzes to check understanding and usage.

Table

Key IT Vocabulary — Quick Reference

Term Part of speech Short definition Example
server noun A computer or program that provides services to other computers or clients The web server handles all incoming user requests.
database noun An organized collection of structured information stored electronically The customer database stores contact and transaction records.
cloud (cloud computing) noun / phrase Remote servers accessed over the internet for storage or computing We migrated our applications to the cloud to improve scalability.
backup noun / verb A copy of data for recovery / to copy data for safekeeping Make a backup before updating the system.
encryption noun Encoding data so that only authorized parties can read it All sensitive files require encryption during transfer.
firewall noun A security system that controls incoming and outgoing network traffic The firewall blocked unauthorized access attempts.
bandwidth noun The capacity of a network to transmit data, usually measured in Mbps Streaming training videos requires high bandwidth.
API (Application Programming Interface) noun A set of rules that allows software systems to communicate Use the payment API to connect our system with the provider.

Tip

How to use IT terms correctly

Remember common collocations and grammatical forms for each term:

  • Use 'a/an' or 'the' depending on specificity: 'a server' vs 'the server in the data center'.
  • Some words can be noun or verb: 'backup' (noun) vs 'back up' (verb).
  • Use 'encrypt' (verb) and 'encryption' (noun): 'We encrypt data' / 'Data encryption is required'.
  • Pair terms with common verbs: 'deploy an application', 'migrate to the cloud', 'install an update'.

Think about the part of speech and the usual verbs or prepositions that go with each term.

Example

Examples in context

We scheduled a server maintenance for Sunday evening.

Please back up the database before applying the patch.

The IT team migrated the app to the cloud to reduce costs.

Enable encryption to protect customer information during transfer.

Tip

Common mistakes to avoid

Watch out for universal errors learners make with IT vocabulary:

  • Confusing nouns and verbs (backup vs back up) — check the part of speech.
  • Incorrect article use: omit or add 'the' when specificity matters.
  • Using the wrong preposition: e.g., 'migrate to the cloud' (not 'migrate on cloud').
  • Mixing technical terms that are similar: 'server' vs 'service' vs 'host'.
  • Pluralization errors: 'database' (countable) — 'two databases', not 'two database'.

Focus on word forms, collocations, and usual prepositions to sound precise.

Quiz

What is the best definition of 'bandwidth' in an IT context?

Hint: Think about how much data a network can send at once.

Quiz

Complete: Please _____ the files to a secure location before the server upgrade.

Hint: Think of the verb used to make a copy of data for safekeeping

Quiz

Which sentence is correct?

Hint: Focus on the preposition commonly used with 'deploy' and 'cloud'

Key Points

Vocabulary

server

noun CEFR B1 //ˈsɜːrvər//

A computer or program that provides services, data, or resources to other computers (clients).

The web server handles all incoming user requests.

Vocabulary

database

noun CEFR B1 //ˈdeɪtəˌbeɪs//

An organized collection of structured information stored electronically for retrieval and management.

The company updated the customer database last night.

Vocabulary

backup

noun / verb CEFR B1 //ˈbækˌʌp/ (noun), /bæk ʌp/ (verb)/

A copy of data kept to restore the original in case of loss (noun); to copy data for safekeeping (verb).

IT asked us to back up all files before the update.

Vocabulary

cloud (cloud computing)

noun / phrase CEFR B2 //klaʊd//

Remote servers accessed over the internet to store, manage, and process data rather than local servers or personal devices.

They moved their CRM to the cloud for better availability.

Vocabulary

encryption

noun CEFR B2 //ɪnˈkrɪpʃən//

The process of converting information into a code to prevent unauthorized access.

Encryption protects data during transmission between servers.

Vocabulary

API

noun CEFR B2 //ˌeɪ.piːˈaɪ//

Application Programming Interface — a set of rules that lets different software systems communicate.

The development team integrated the payment API into the checkout process.