Confused Words: Tall vs. High

Welcome back, eager learners! Today’s exciting lesson revolves around the fascinating difference between two English adjectives that are commonly misunderstood: tall and high. Though these words may seem alike, they’re used differently in English. Let’s delve in to clear up any confusion!

Tall

Firstly, we’ll discover the word tall (IPA: /tɔ:l/). This adjective is used to describe the height of a person, animal, or thing from bottom to top in relation to others.

Here are 10 examples:

1. John is taller than his brother. (John’s height from bottom to top is more than his brother’s)
2. The giraffe is the tallest animal in the world. (The giraffe has the greatest height from bottom to top among animals)
3. This building is tall. (This building has considerable height from bottom to top)
4. She grew tall over the summer. (She increased in height over the summer)
5. He is tall for his age. (His height is more than average for his age)
6. These trees are taller than the houses. (These trees have more height from bottom to top than the houses)
7. I prefer tall cups for my coffee. (I prefer cups with more height for my coffee)
8. My tall boots reach my knees. (My boots with considerable height reach my knees)
9. The tallest man in the world lives in Turkey. (The man with the greatest height from bottom to top lives in Turkey)
10. She wore tall heels to the party. (She wore heels with a significant height to the party)

High

Now, let’s ascend to the word high (IPA: /haɪ/). “High” refers to something with a considerable or noticeable vertical extent or that is located far above the ground or above the level of the horizon.

Here are 10 examples:

1. The plane is flying high in the sky. (The plane is flying at a location far above the ground)
2. The mountain is high. (The mountain has a considerable vertical extent)
3. He jumped high into the air. (He jumped to a location far above the ground)
4. The water in the river is high today. (The water in the river has a noticeable vertical extent today)
5. We hiked to a high point on the trail. (We hiked to a location on the trail that was far above the ground)
6. The kite flew high above the trees. (The kite flew at a location far above the trees)
7. The bird is perched on a high branch. (The bird is perched on a branch that is far above the ground)
8. The flag is flying high on the pole. (The flag is flying at a location far above the ground on the pole)
9. The shelves are too high for me to reach. (The shelves are at a location too far above the ground for me to reach)
10. The sound was too high for us to hear. (The sound had a pitch too far above our hearing range)

Conclusion

In summary, while both tall and high describe height, “tall” is used in relation to a person, animal, or thing’s height from bottom to top, whereas “high” refers to an extent or location far above the ground or above the level of the horizon. Remembering these distinctions will improve your English fluency and help you communicate more precisely.