For most amateur naturalists or students, the differences between a pond and a lake are not always clear. Any body of water can have shallow areas that will have pond-like habitats. Both a lake and a pond are mostly open water. Most of their area is not covered with plants that grow above the waterline. There are plants that grow on the bottom of ponds but do not grow above the waterline.
Lakes can have pond-like areas.
There may be floating plants in the deeper parts. But, there are no plants in the deeper parts having their roots in the mud and stems sticking out of the water. If grasses, rushes or other small plants cover most of the water's surface, the body of water is a marsh or bog. If trees and larger shrubs cover most of the water's surface, that is a swamp.