High and tall are adjectives that refer to vertical height, but they are usually not interchangeable even though they are very similar. Here's how to use them correctly:
1. Tall is mainly used for things that are narrower or thinner than they are high: tall people, tall trees, tall buildings, tall glasses, tall ladders.
2. We prefer to use high for things that are very wide: high mountains, high walls, high fences.
3. We also use high for things that are out of our reach, or far above the ground: a high branch, a high shelf, high clouds, a high ceiling.
4. When measuring something we use tall for people, but usually high for objects.
- Flavia is 162 cm tall.
- The heels on her shoes are at least 10 cm high. Wow!
- Redwood trees, native to California and Oregon, are the tallest trees in the world. An average redwood tree can grow up to 91 meters high (measurement).
How tall are you?