Technology & Digital Life — Part 4
The Celpip Plus team
Written and reviewed against the official CELPIP scoring criteria
What you'll learn: the formal, written-register phrases and connectors used to discuss technology's role in society — the vocabulary that supports a structured, academic-sounding CELPIP Writing Task 2 essay on topics like social media, automation, or online privacy.
Why register matters in Writing Task 2
Technology prompts in Writing Task 2 often ask you to weigh benefits against risks — social media's effect on teenagers, automation's effect on jobs, screen time's effect on health. These essays reward measured, formal language and clear logical connectors far more than casual chunks like "everyone's glued to their phone." This lesson builds the formal phrase bank for exactly that kind of essay.
Core collocations
| Collocation | Meaning | Example sentence |
|---|---|---|
| the rapid advancement of technology | how quickly technology is developing | The rapid advancement of technology has transformed how we work. |
| in the digital age | in the current era shaped by digital technology | In the digital age, privacy has become harder to protect. |
| a growing reliance on | an increasing dependence on something | There is a growing reliance on smartphones for basic daily tasks. |
| this raises concerns about | this introduces worries or issues regarding | This raises concerns about the long-term effects of screen time on children. |
| as technology continues to evolve | as technology keeps developing over time | As technology continues to evolve, new ethical questions will emerge. |
| it is essential to consider | signals an important factor the reader must weigh | It is essential to consider both the benefits and drawbacks of automation. |
| on the whole | considering everything together | On the whole, remote work tools have improved productivity. |
| furthermore | adds an additional supporting point (formal) | Furthermore, digital literacy is now a core workplace skill. |
| for instance | introduces a specific example | For instance, many schools now issue tablets instead of textbooks. |
| as a consequence | as a direct result (formal connector) | Data breaches have become common; as a consequence, users demand stronger privacy laws. |
| a double-edged sword | something with both significant benefits and risks | Social media is often described as a double-edged sword. |
| in conclusion | signals the final summarizing point of an essay | In conclusion, the benefits of automation outweigh its risks if managed responsibly. |
Worked example — CELPIP Writing Task 2
Prompt: Some people believe social media has a positive effect on society, while others disagree. Discuss both views and give your opinion.
In the digital age, social media has become deeply embedded in how people communicate, work, and access information. The rapid advancement of technology behind these platforms has made global connection easier than ever. For instance, families separated by immigration can now stay in daily contact through video calls and messaging. Furthermore, small businesses have used social platforms to reach customers they never could have reached before. However, this raises concerns about mental health, particularly among teenagers who face constant social comparison. A growing reliance on these platforms has also made misinformation spread faster than fact-checkers can respond. As technology continues to evolve, I believe social media will remain a double-edged sword — genuinely useful, but requiring as a consequence stronger regulation and digital literacy education. On the whole, it is essential to consider both dimensions rather than dismissing the technology outright. In conclusion, I believe its benefits can outweigh its risks, provided society adapts responsibly.
Common mistakes
- Starting a sentence with "But" in a formal essay instead of the appropriate connector however or on the other hand.
- Using "as technology evolves" without "continues to" — the fuller, more natural academic phrase is as technology continues to evolve.
- Writing "this raises a concern" (singular) when the standard collocation is plural: this raises concerns about.
- Overusing "for example" repeatedly — vary it with for instance for range.
- Treating "a double-edged sword" as casual slang — it is actually appropriate for formal writing and works well in Task 2 essays.
Recap
Build technology essays around formal connectors and set phrases — in the digital age, a growing reliance on, this raises concerns about, a double-edged sword — to keep Writing Task 2 responses about technology structured, balanced, and appropriately academic.