Specialized Track · Career

Information Systems Engineering

Talk about computers, software, and IT basics at work.

The vocabulary you need for everyday tech situations — from basic troubleshooting to talking about code, software, and IT support.

Why this matters This lesson connects directly to your progress: it covers basic programming and software vocabulary; everyday tech phrases; basic it situations. Mastering this content lets you move forward confidently, and reinforces patterns you'll use again later. Take time to review every example before moving to the assessment — repetition is what actually locks knowledge in long-term.

01

What will you be able to do?

The goals of this lesson.

02

Before you start

You've completed general English. This is the first lesson of the Information Systems specialization — essential IT vocabulary for everyday technical situations.

03

Basic programming and software vocabulary

Everyday terms for writing, testing, and reviewing code.

Examples

I'm writing a function to sort the array.
Programming basics
We need to fix this bug before the release.
Debugging
The application crashed after the update.
Software issues
Can you review my code before I merge it?
Code review
We store all the data in a database.
Databases
The server is down for maintenance tonight.
Servers
I need to install this software on my laptop.
Software installation
Let's test this feature before deploying it.
Testing

04

Everyday tech phrases

Standard phrases for talking about servers, backups, and connectivity.

Examples

The website loads slowly on mobile devices.
Performance
We use version control to track changes in the code.
Version control
Please back up your files before the upgrade.
Backups
The system requires a username and password to log in.
Authentication
I'm learning a new programming language this year.
Learning to code
The app needs an internet connection to work.
Connectivity
We're upgrading our computers to a newer model.
Hardware

05

Basic IT situations

Common scenarios: passwords, IT support, and system updates.

Examples

Can you send me the link to the shared folder?
File sharing
The password must contain at least eight characters.
Password rules
I forgot my password and need to reset it.
Account recovery
We're migrating our data to a new system.
Data migration
The IT department will fix your computer tomorrow.
IT support
This device connects to the network automatically.
Networking basics
Please restart your computer to apply the update.
System updates

06

Reading

Read the text and answer the questions. You can try as many times as you want.

Diego was writing a function to sort the array when the application crashed. "We need to fix this bug before the release," his teammate said. They discovered the server was down for maintenance, which was causing the issue.

"Can you review my code before I merge it?" Diego asked. After testing the feature, they backed up their files before applying the system update. The IT department confirmed everything would be running smoothly by tomorrow morning.

1. What was Diego writing?

2. What happened to the application?

3. What was causing the issue?

4. What did Diego ask his teammate to do?

5. What did they do before the update?

💪 Great foundation in tech English! Review this lesson, or continue to the Intermediate level.

07

Reading: A Day at the Help Desk

A second reading, a bit longer — a realistic IT support scenario. Read it and answer the questions below.

Maria works on the IT help desk. This morning, an employee called to say her laptop wouldn't connect to the Wi-Fi. Maria asked her to restart the router first — that usually fixes the connection. When that didn't work, Maria checked the network settings remotely and found the password had expired.

After resetting it, the laptop connected right away. Later, a different employee raised a ticket because his email kept freezing. Maria ran a quick diagnostic and discovered his inbox was almost full. She helped him delete old attachments and back up the rest to a shared folder. By lunchtime, both tickets were closed, and Maria started her next call: someone had forgotten their password again.

1. What was the first employee's problem?

2. What did Maria ask her to try first?

3. What was actually wrong with the connection?

4. Why did the second employee raise a ticket?

5. What was causing his email problem?

08

Match the Terms

Tap a term on the left, then tap its matching definition on the right. Ungraded — repeat as many times as you like.

Term

Definition

09

Fill in the Blanks

Usa las pistas para completar cada palabra en inglés. Sin calificar — repite las veces que quieras.

10

Key Points

The essentials of this lesson, summarized.

11

Vocabulary in This Lesson

Key terms to remember.

writing
/ˈraɪ.tɪŋ/

creating text or code by typing

escribiendo
"I'm writing a function to sort the array."
to need
/niːd/

to require something

necesitar
"We need to fix this bug before the release."
application
/ˌæp.lɪˈkeɪ.ʃən/

a computer program used to perform tasks

aplicación
"The application crashed after the update."
to review
/rɪˈvjuː/

to examine something carefully before approving it

revisar
"Can you review my code before I merge it?"
to store
/stɔːr/

to keep data saved somewhere

almacenar
"We store all the data in a database."
server
/ˈsɜːr.vər/

a computer that provides data to other computers

servidor
"The server is down for maintenance tonight."
bug
/bʌɡ/

an error in a computer program

error, fallo
"There's a bug in the login form — it doesn't save passwords correctly."
to install
/ɪnˈstɔːl/

to set up software on a device

instalar
"You need to install the latest update before you can log in."
network
/ˈnet.wɜːrk/

a system of connected computers

red
"Our network was slow this morning because of the storm."
update
/ˈʌp.deɪt/

a new version of software with fixes or features

actualización
"There's a new update available for your operating system."
password
/ˈpæs.wɜːrd/

a secret word or code used to log in

contraseña
"Please choose a strong password with numbers and symbols."
folder
/ˈfoʊl.dər/

a place on a computer where files are kept

carpeta
"Save the report in the shared folder, not on your desktop."

12

Common Phrases & Expressions

These aren't single words — they're the everyday expressions IT people actually say at work.

reboot / restart
"Have you tried rebooting your computer?" — the first thing IT support always asks.
up and running
"The server is back up and running after the outage."
raise a ticket
"If the printer keeps failing, raise a ticket with the help desk."
roll back a change
"The new version broke the checkout page, so we rolled back the change."
push to production
"We're pushing this fix to production tonight after testing."
have a glitch
"The app has a glitch — sometimes it logs users out for no reason."
run a check / diagnostic
"Let's run a quick diagnostic before we call support."
out of sync
"My calendar is out of sync with the shared one — some events are missing."

13

Build the Sentence

Tap the words in the correct order to form the sentence. Ungraded — repeat as many times as you like.

14

Choose the Correct Verb

Tap the correct verb form to complete each sentence. The other options are conjugations from other tenses — on purpose, so you learn to tell them apart.

Can you my code before I merge it

The IT will fix your computer tomorrow

The requires a username and password to log in

I to install this software on my laptop

The is down for maintenance tonight

16

Assessment

You need at least 80% to unlock the next lesson. You can retake it as many times as you want — your best score is saved.

1. What does this mean: "Please back up your files before the upgrade."?

2. Which option matches: "The website loads slowly on mobile devices."?

3. Select the correct match for: "The IT department will fix your computer tomorrow."

4. Select the correct match for: "This device connects to the network automatically."

5. "Can you send me the link to the shared folder?" — which one is correct?

6. What does this mean: "We're upgrading our computers to a newer model."?

7. Select the correct match for: "I need to install this software on my laptop."

8. Choose the equivalent of: "The application crashed after the update."

9. What does this mean: "The system requires a username and password to log in."?

10. What does this mean: "Please restart your computer to apply the update."?

Review — Lesson 70 What matches: "We're reviewing our exposure to emerging markets."?

Review — Lesson 70 What matches: "The company's stock is currently undervalued."?

17

Summary and next step

You now know essential IT vocabulary. Next lesson: architecture, databases, and the development process.

🗣️ Practice out loud

Use the conversational tutor to practice this topic.

Open the tutor

18

Games

Practice this lesson's vocabulary with a word search and flashcards. Ungraded — play as many times as you like.

Word Search

Tap the first and last letter of a hidden word to find it. Los términos de varias palabras van sin espacios en el tablero (ej. "give up" aparece como GIVEUP).

Flashcards

Elige la respuesta correcta. Si aciertas, la tarjeta queda lista por hoy; si fallas, vuelve a aparecer pronto para reforzarla. Tu progreso se guarda en este dispositivo.

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