English Vocabulary Words for Construction

A crane is used for lifting things to very high places

A dump truck makes it easy to transport large quantities of sand, gravel, dirt, etc.

A bulldozer can push around dirt and rubble.

An excavator is used to dig deep holes, such as for the foundation of a building

Individual workers can transport heavy things more easily by using a wheelbarrow.

The sound of a jackhammer is so loud that a worker must use earplugs or earmuffs to protect his hearing.

Scaffolding is a metal structure that is put up temporarily so that workers can climb up to reach the high points of the building.

Each step of a ladder is called a rung.

Cement can be mixed with water and other elements to make concrete (which is used as a solid object) or mortar (which is used as a “glue” to stick bricks together)

The worker is using mortar to stick the bricks together. The tool in his hand is called a trowel, and there is a green bucket near his feet. A professional who specializes in working with bricks and stones is called a mason.

Shovels are used to dig holes.

If the construction is on or near a road, cones may be used to redirect traffic.

He is wearing a hard hat to protect his head, and he is holding a blueprint – that’s the plan for the building, as designed by an architect. The main construction worker who manages all the others is called the foreman.

Two-way radios are often used to communicate on the construction site. An informal name for them is “walkie talkies.”