How to Use Principal and Principle Correctly
Among tricky sets of homophones, "principal" and "principle" stand out above the crowd. Many people can't seem to choose the right one for the job 100 percent of the time. It's true the meanings can be similar in context, but a close study of lexical roots and attention to a few simple rules can give you the tools to know when to use the one and when to use the other.
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Instructions
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Remember, the school principal is your "pal." This handy little rule helps students remember that a person in an educational setting uses the ending "pal" and not "ple."
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A "first" element uses "pal" as well. "The principal aspect to consider..." or "The principal event of the year..." are examples of using the word somewhat formally to talk about what is foremost or most important.
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Philosophy uses "ple." This lesser known rule applies to any kind of "ethical stand" or "philosophy", as when a character says, "It's not really what happened, so much as the PRINCIPLE of the thing..."
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Use 'pal' for nouns, especially financial ones. You may have heard of "principal" in this context (such as in definitions like "the bulk of an estate" or "a capital sum"). Although 'principle' can also be a noun, it's in the context of what is discussed above.
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Keep reading. As with any words, as you read current writing, you'll see how popular usage has brought "principal" and "principle" into the 21st century. Reading reinforces your rote memorization of word spellings quite well, and together with the rules above, you can be pretty sure you have the right homophone.
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