There are similar words in Portuguese that make us unsure when we have to use them. Talland high belong in this category. They have the same meaning, but different uses. / There are words in the English language with a meaning so similar that they leave us uncertain about their correct use. “High” and “Tall” belong to this category. These words have the same meaning, but with differences in their usage.
For putting a period in all of your doubts about the use of tall and high, look bellow the ways that you can use each of then in the sentences in English. / To put an end to your doubts about the uses of “High” and “Tall”, see below how you can use these words in English sentences:
high x Tall– Both have the same literal meaning: High.
high is used for things which are a long way above the ground, in other words it means having a long distance from top to bottom. We use high for inanimate things, like mountains, window, shelf, walls, etc. we often use highfor things which are very wide, Such as,
high mountains, high walls. / “High” is used for things that are far from the ground; in other words, that they are a long way from the top to the bottom. We also use “high” for inanimate things like mountains, windows, shelves, walls etc.Look at the examples of high in the sentences: / See examples of using “high” in prayers:
1- I love going to places where it has high mountains.
I love going to places where there are high mountains.
2- The book shelf is too highfor you catch up.
The bookcase is too high for you to reach.
3- The Mount Everest is the highest mountain in the world.
Mount Everest is the highest mountain in the world.
*Tallis used to say that something or someone is above average height.we use tall mainly for things which are narrower or thinner than they are high. For example: tall people, tall trees, tall buildings with a lot of floors. / “Tall” is used to say that something or someone is above average height. We use “tall” mainly for things that are narrower than they are tall and for people that are thinner than tall. For example: tall people (tall people), tall trees (tall trees), tall buildings with a lot of floors (high-rise buildings with several floors).
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Look at the examples of tall in the sentences: / See examples of using “tall” in prayers:
1- Carol is very tall and beautiful.
Carol is very tall and beautiful.
2- There are four tall trees near my home.
There are four tall trees near my house.
3- How tall is your brother
How tall is your brother?
Examples of things that can be high: / Examples of things that can be “high”:
high heels/ High heels
high ceilings / high roofs
high in the sky/ High in the sky
high society/ High society
high level/ High level
high collar / turtleneck
Examples of things that can be tall: / Examples of things that can be “tall”:
Tall people / tall people
Tall trees/ tall trees
Tall chimneys / tall chimneys
Tall grass/ tall grass
Tall statues / tall statue
THE tall ladder/ a high ladder
*Observations! / Remarks:
With measurements, we use: / With measurements, we use:
Tall for people./ Tall for people.
high for objects. / High for objects.
*In English, it is not common to use the word "tall" for overweight people. It can be used, but it is not the most suitable. So, in English, when someone is said to be alto ("he istall”, for example), most of the time, the idea is implicit that this person, in addition to being tall, is also thin.
By Janaína Mourão
Graduated in Letters
Would you like to reference this text in a school or academic work? Look:
MOURãO, Janaína Pereira. ""High" or "Tall" – When to use these terms in the English language?"; Brazil School. Available in: https://brasilescola.uol.com.br/ingles/high-ou-tallquando-usar-esses-termos-na-lingua-inglesa.htm. Accessed on June 28, 2021.
