student asking question

What's the difference between "shore" and "coastline"?

teacher

Native speaker’s answer

Rebecca

These words are fairly similar. "Shore" and "coast" are used fairly interchangeably. They both are defined as the land that borders a large body of water. "Shores" tend to be smaller strips of land, whereas "coasts" are larger. When Americans say "West Coast," they refer to the states of Washington, Oregon, and California. Ex: We love going down to the shore during the sunset. Ex: The east coast of the United States is gorgeous. Ex: Seashells continually wash up onshore. Ex: Let's drive down the coast of California.

Popular Q&As

04/18

Complete the expression with a quiz!