A list consists of a sequence of indented items. Generally, the items are short, often consisting of a single line. Each item is preceded by a marker, such as a bullet or a number. An easy way to make a list is to type all the items, pressing return after each one. Then hilite the items and click on one of the two list-creation buttons in the toolbar.
Tables are more complicated.
A table is made up of rows and columns. By default, tables are surrounded by a thin border. The table can have a different background color from the rest of the page, and in fact each row and each individual cell can have its own background color. In this way, you can make sophisticated layouts, and there are still more options that I have not even mentioned here. You will see a dialog box that allows you to set several options such as the background color and the number of rows and columns.