Tools Names in English: 16 Tools With Pictures and Sound
Tools names in English include hammer, saw, drill, nail, screw and scissors for building and fixing things, and shovel, rake, hose and wheelbarrow for the garden. Here are 16 tools, each with a picture, the sound of the word, an easy meaning and an example sentence. The words go from easy (brush, tape) to level C1 and C2 (shovel, wheelbarrow), and each one has a free picture game.
▶ Play the tools game
Jewel Quest English, a free picture game: Tools, level 1
Tap 🔊 Listen to hear the word, and the small speaker to hear the example. Each word has a link to the game level that teaches it.
8 hand tools, power tools and supplies
You hold a hand tool in your hand and use your own strength. A power tool, like a drill, has a motor and works with a battery or electricity. Nails, screws and tape are not tools. They are supplies: things you use with tools.
1. Brush
A tool with a handle and a lot of short hairs at one end. You use a paintbrush to paint walls, doors and pictures.
I paint the wall with a big brush.
There are many kinds of brushes: a paintbrush, a toothbrush, a hairbrush. On this page, a brush is a paintbrush.
2. Tape
A long, thin strip that is sticky on one side. It comes in a roll. You use it to close boxes or to fix things fast.
Put some tape on the box.
We say a roll of tape or some tape, not “a tape.” Strong silver tape is called duct tape.
3. Nail
A thin, pointed piece of metal with a flat, round top. You hit it into wood with a hammer.
I need a nail to hang this picture.
Nail is also the hard part at the end of your finger. The picture tells you which one we mean.
4. Scissors
A tool with two sharp blades that open and close when you move your fingers. You use it to cut paper, cloth or hair.
I need scissors to open this box.
Scissors is always plural: The scissors are on the table. For one, say a pair of scissors.
5. Hammer
A tool with a heavy metal head on a handle. You use it to hit nails into wood. The other end, the claw, pulls nails out.
I need a hammer to put up this shelf.
6. Screw
A small, pointed piece of metal with a line that goes around and around it. You turn it into wood or a wall, and it holds things very tightly.
I need one more screw for the shelf.
You put in a screw with a screwdriver or a drill.
7. Saw
A tool with a flat metal blade with sharp teeth on one edge. You move it back and forth to cut wood or metal.
She cut the board with a saw.
Saw is also the past of see: I saw a movie. The tool is a noun.
8. Drill
A power tool that turns very fast. It makes holes in wood, metal or walls, and it can also put in screws.
He made a hole in the wall with a drill.
A drill with a battery is a cordless drill. You can also say power drill.
▶ Play the toolbox level
Jewel Quest English: Tools, level 5: brushes, nails and hammers
8 garden and outdoor tools names
These tools help you work in the garden and the yard: dig, water the plants, move dirt and leaves, and cut wood for a fire.
9. Rope
Very thick, strong string. You use it to tie things, to pull things or to hold a boat in one place.
Tie the boat with a strong rope.
10. Ladder
Two long pieces of wood or metal with short steps between them. You climb a ladder to reach high places.
He climbed the ladder to clean the windows.
11. Bucket
A round, open container with a handle. You carry water, sand or dirt in it.
Fill the bucket with water.
12. Axe
A tool with a heavy, sharp metal head on a long wooden handle. You use it to cut down trees and to cut wood for a fire.
He cuts wood with an axe.
In American English you can write axe or ax. Both are right. The plural is axes for both.
13. Hose
A long, soft tube that water goes through. You use a garden hose to water the plants or wash the car.
I water the garden with a hose.
14. Shovel
A tool with a long handle and a wide metal blade. You use it to dig holes and to move dirt or snow.
We dug a hole with a shovel.
A spade is like a shovel, with a flat, straight blade. In the US, people say shovel more often.
15. Rake
A garden tool with a long handle and a lot of thin teeth at the end. You use it to pull leaves or cut grass into a pile.
I use a rake for the leaves in the fall.
16. Wheelbarrow
A small cart with one wheel at the front and two handles at the back. You push it to move heavy things, like dirt or stones.
We moved the dirt in a wheelbarrow.
▶ Play the yard tools level
Jewel Quest English: Tools, level 8: rakes and wheelbarrows
How the tools game works
Jewel Quest English is a free match-3 game. Match 3 pictures in a row, and you see the picture and hear the English word. After each level, a short quiz checks the new words. The Tools topic has 10 levels, and most levels teach one or two new tools. It works on a phone or a computer, with no sign-up.
| Topic and level | Tools on this page |
|---|---|
| Tools (C1) | brush, tape, nail, rope, hammer, bucket, axe, hose, shovel, saw, drill, rake, wheelbarrow |
| Around the home (B1) | scissors |
| Garden (B2) | ladder |
| Treasures (C1) | screw |
On the Tools board you also see easy home words, like key, book, door, clock and chair.
Click Here for Step-by-Step Rules, Stories and Exercises to Practice All English Tenses
Quick quiz: name the tool
Write the name of each tool on the line. Use the word bank. Open the answers to check.
Name the tool
Write the name of each tool on the line. Use the word bank.
Word bank: axe, bucket, drill, hammer, hose, ladder, nail, rake, saw, scissors, shovel, wheelbarrow
www.really-learn-english.com/tools-names.html
Show the answers
1. hammer 2. saw 3. shovel 4. bucket 5. drill 6. rake 7. nail 8. hose 9. scissors 10. axe 11. ladder 12. wheelbarrow
For teachers: a printable list and class ideas
Print the list below on one page. Each tool has a picture, the name and a short meaning, plus a line where students write the word in their own language. You can also print the quiz above as a worksheet.
Tools names in English
Write each word in your language on the line.
Hand tools, power tools and supplies
- brush: you paint with it
- tape: a sticky strip in a roll
- nail: you hit it with a hammer
- scissors: you cut paper with them
- hammer: you hit nails with it
- screw: you turn it into wood
- saw: you cut wood with it
- drill: it makes holes
Garden and outdoor tools
- rope: thick, strong string
- ladder: you climb it
- bucket: you carry water in it
- axe: you cut trees with it
- hose: water goes through it
- shovel: you dig with it
- rake: you pull leaves with it
- wheelbarrow: you push heavy things in it
www.really-learn-english.com/tools-names.html
Two ideas for your class
- What do I need? (10 minutes). Say a job: I want to make a hole in the wall. Students answer with the tool: You need a drill. Then students take turns and say the jobs. Other jobs: cut a tree (an axe), water the flowers (a hose), close a box (tape), pick up leaves (a rake).
- Act it out. One student acts out a tool with no words: hitting a nail, sawing wood, pushing a wheelbarrow. The class guesses: Are you using a hammer? This also practices the present continuous (-ing).
The game also works on a projector: put level 1 on the screen, and the class says each word before the game does. Share the level link in Google Classroom or any LMS. Nobody needs to sign up.
More picture word lists: kitchen utensils names, furniture words with pictures, animal names and all our English vocabulary word lists.
Questions about tools names
What are the names of common tools in English?
Common tools in English are the hammer, saw, drill, screwdriver, wrench, pliers, tape measure and scissors. People use them with nails and screws to build and fix things. In the garden, people use a shovel, rake, hose and wheelbarrow.
What are some garden tools names?
Common garden tools are the shovel, rake, hose, wheelbarrow and bucket. Other garden tools are the spade, the hoe, the watering can and garden shears (big scissors for plants).
What is the difference between hand tools and power tools?
A hand tool works with the strength of your hand, like a hammer, a saw or scissors. A power tool has a motor and works with electricity or a battery, like a drill or an electric saw.
Is it axe or ax?
Both are right. Axe is the usual spelling in British English and is also common in the US. Ax is an American spelling. The plural is axes for both.
What is a rake?
A rake is a garden tool with a long handle and a row of thin teeth at the end. You pull it over the ground to collect leaves or cut grass. In old stories, a rake is also a man who lives a wild life.
What is the difference between a shovel and a spade?
Both are tools for digging. A shovel usually has a curved blade with a point, and it is good for moving dirt, sand or snow. A spade has a flat, straight blade, and it is good for cutting into the ground. In the US, people often say shovel for both.
What is the difference between a nail and a screw?
A nail is smooth, and you hit it into wood with a hammer. A screw has a line that goes around it, and you turn it in with a screwdriver or a drill. A screw holds more tightly, and you can take it out more easily.
How can I practice tools names in English?
Play the Tools topic in Jewel Quest English. You match pictures, hear each word and answer a short quiz after each level. The topic has 10 levels. It works on a phone or a computer, with no sign-up.
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