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Six minutes vocabulary from BBC Learning English. Hello and welcome to Six Minute Vocabulary with me, Rob and me, Sophie, and today's show is all about similar words. Yes, similar words, words that are close in meaning, but which we use in different ways. We look at what they are, what they mean and how to use them.

We're hoping for high scores in our quiz. And we'll leave you with a big tip for learning vocabulary.

So first, let's listen to two architects travelling up the Burj Khalifa building in Dubai.

Here's a question to think about while you listen. What's special about this building? What's special about this building?

Let's find out. We've reached the top. How high are we?

We're on the 24th floor. Wow. So this is the tallest building in the world. It's pretty impressive.

You can really see how big the city is and also what a large number of construction projects are happening here.

So why did we come here today? Well, I've got some big ideas about our next building project that I want to discuss.

So John and Marissa are architects, and we asked you what's special about the Burj Khalifa?

And the answer is it's the tallest building in the world.

And Tall is one of today's similar words. That's right. And high is another. These words have a similar meaning. They describe something that is more than average height. So what's the difference?

Sophie, we usually use high for things that are wider than their vertical height, for example, high mountains or a high wall. And we use tall for things that are narrower than their vertical height, like people or trees or buildings.

As we heard just now, buildings with many floors often have greater height than width, like the Burj Khalifa.

That's right. But we can also talk about high buildings. Sherlock Holmes fell from the top of a high building.

Context is always important for choosing the right word. We use high in this sentence because it's the position of the top of the building that's important, not the building as a whole.

Great explanation, Sherlock. Another example.

OK, big and large. These words both mean something that is more than average size. In general.

We use big more often than large, and we use it to talk about real things like big cities and abstract things like big ideas.

What's your big idea for today, Rob? Oh, well, my big idea of the day is world peace. You hear about so much death and destruction in the news. I really think that world peace is what we should be aiming for.

Well, that is a big idea. Big because unfortunately, it's quite an abstract idea, which is why we say big idea and not large idea. So when do we use large?

OK, well, we use large when we want to sound more formal. For example, Dubai has the largest population in the United Arab Emirates.

We also use large in some fixed expressions. John talks about Dubai having a large number of construction projects in progress.

Six minutes vocabulary from BBC Learning English dot com.

And we're talking about similar words.

Now, let's hear today's words again, big and large, meaning more than average size, big for real and abstract things, big city, big house, big decision, big ideas, large for real things with a more formal tone, a large population, a large number of projects, a large amount of money, high and tall, meaning more than average height, high for things that are wider than their vertical height.

High mountains, high wall, high windows, high bookshelf, tall for things that are narrower than their vertical height. Tall buildings, tall people, tall trees, tall grass, tall Sophie.

Thanks, Rob. And remember, that context is very important.

Thank you, Sophie. And now it's quiz time. Is the English in these sentences right or wrong? Number one, my brother is 180 centimetres high and the answer is wrong.

He's 180 centimetres tall.

Number two, I look down from the high window to the garden below. And the answer is right. And finally, number three, moving house is a large decision to make.

And the answer is wrong. It's a big decision and that brings us almost to the end of the program.

But before we go, here's our big tip for remembering vocabulary. Use Internet search engines to check how often words are used together.

It'll help you choose the right words.

There's more about this ABC Learning English dot com. Join us again for more six minute vocabulary by.