Let’s be honest, sometimes English can be confusing. Sometimes when learning English it is easy to mix up words or be unsure when to use them.
I often hear German speakers who are learning English make mistakes with the words ‘shade’ and ‘shadow’.
Take a look at the examples below. Hopefully they will make things clearer for you.
When something blocks the direct light from the sun a slight darkness is created. This is an area of shade.
E.g. It’s 35 degrees today. When it’s this hot I prefer to sit in the shade out of the direct sun.
It was so hot yesterday but there were no trees to offer any shade.
A shadow is a specific, dark shape caused when an object blocks a source of light.
E.g. The children had a lot of fun jumping on each other’s shadows.
E.g. When the sun is low on the horizon, shadows are long. When the sun is high in the sky, shadows are shorter.
Have fun learning English!
Louise