Workplace Word Families, Set 9 — Technology (B2)

Your task

Fill in the gap in each sentence with the correct word or phrase.

0 / 15 answered

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Keep practising! Focus on the explanations below.

The company signed a three-year deal with the city's football club to increase brand visibility. (SPONSOR)

Correct answer: sponsorship

Add -ship to "sponsor" to form "sponsorship" — the noun for the act or arrangement of financially supporting an event, team, or cause; "sponsor" alone is a noun (the person who sponsors) or verb; "sponsoring" is the gerund — "a ___ deal" requires the noun form.

The company's community programme runs coding workshops for underprivileged students every Saturday. (OUTREACH)

Correct answer: outreach

"Outreach" is the compound noun for efforts to connect with and provide services to a wider community; it combines "out" + "reach"; "outreach programme" is a fixed TOEIC compound — "outreach" should be written as one word.

The system handles twice the transaction volume of the previous version with no performance issues. (UPGRADE)

Correct answer: upgraded

"Upgrade" + -d → "upgraded" — the adjective meaning improved to a newer, more capable version; "upgrade" alone is a noun or verb; "upgrading" is a gerund — "The ___ system" requires an adjective modifier before the noun.

All employees must install the latest version of the antivirus before connecting to the corporate network. (SOFTWARE)

Correct answer: software

"Software" is the uncountable compound noun for computer programs and operating information; it combines "soft" + "ware"; contrast with "hardware" (physical components); "softwares" is never correct — "software" is always uncountable in standard English.

The IT department ordered new — including laptops, monitors, and docking stations — for all new hires. (HARDWARE)

Correct answer: hardware

"Hardware" is the uncountable compound noun for physical computing equipment; contrast with "software" (programs); "hardwares" is never correct — "hardware" is always uncountable; "hard" as a standalone adjective does not mean computing equipment.

The web went offline for two hours after a power surge in the data centre, affecting all hosted sites. (SERVE)

Correct answer: server

Add -r to "serve" to form "server" — the agent noun for a computer that manages access to resources or services on a network; "serve" is a verb; "service" is a different word — "server" specifically refers to the machine in an IT context.

The customer must be updated with accurate contact details before the next mailing campaign begins. (DATABASE)

Correct answer: database

"Database" is the compound noun for an organised collection of structured information stored electronically; it combines "data" + "base"; "data base" (two words) is an outdated variant; "dataset" refers to a specific set of data, not the full system.

IT policy requires all staff to their files to the cloud storage system at least once per week. (BACKUP)

Correct answer: back up

"Backup" (noun/adjective) → "back up" (phrasal verb, two words); after "to ___," the infinitive phrasal verb is required; "backup" (one word) is the noun ("create a backup") — when used as a verb, it must be written as two words: "back up."

Employees are required to change their every 90 days and must not share it with colleagues. (PASSWORD)

Correct answer: password

"Password" is the compound noun for a secret string of characters used to gain access; it combines "pass" + "word"; "passcode" is a synonym when referring to numeric codes; "passphrase" is used for longer strings — TOEIC uses "password" as the standard term.

Users must with their corporate credentials before accessing any files on the shared drive. (LOGIN)

Correct answer: log in

"Login" (noun/adjective, one word) → "log in" (phrasal verb, two words); after "must ___," the infinitive phrasal verb is required; "login credentials" uses the one-word noun form — the spelling rule mirrors "backup/back up" and "check-in/check in."

The company's blocked the attempted intrusion and generated an automatic security alert to the IT team. (FIREWALL)

Correct answer: firewall

"Firewall" is the compound noun for a network security system that monitors and controls incoming and outgoing traffic; it combines "fire" + "wall" (a barrier against fire); in IT, it acts as a security barrier — "fire wall" (two words) is not standard in computing contexts.

The antivirus software detected a in the downloaded file and quarantined it before any damage occurred. (VIRUS)

Correct answer: virus

"Virus" in computing is the noun for malicious software that replicates itself and damages files or systems; "viruses" is the plural; "malware" is a broader term covering all malicious software — "a ___" in the singular requires the base noun "virus."

The IT helpdesk guide includes a step-by-step section for the most common connectivity issues. (TROUBLESHOOT)

Correct answer: troubleshooting

"Troubleshoot" + -ing → "troubleshooting" — the noun for the process of diagnosing and resolving technical problems; "troubleshoot" is the verb (irregular past: troubleshot); "troubleshooting guide" and "troubleshooting section" are standard TOEIC tech compound nouns.

A certified was dispatched to repair the faulty network switch within two hours of the fault report. (TECHNICIAN)

Correct answer: technician

"Technician" is the noun for a person skilled in the practical aspects of a technical subject; it derives from "technic" + -ian (a person suffix); contrast with "engineer" (higher-level design and system work) — "A certified ___" dispatched for repairs points to a hands-on technical specialist.

She holds a master's degree in software and has led development teams for over a decade. (ENGINEER)

Correct answer: engineering

"Engineer" + -ing → "engineering" — the noun for the discipline of designing and building systems; "software engineering" is a fixed TOEIC academic and professional compound; "engineering" as a noun refers to the field, while "engineer" is the person or verb.

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