Do you confuse principal and principle? Here’s help!

Principal (a noun) ends in “pal” and generally refers to people in leadership positions that you want to be your “pals” (a leader of a school, a company, or other entity). Principal can also mean the amount of a loan before interest is charged; if you need money, this principal is also your “pal.” Principal can also be used an adjective to describe something of extreme importance: “The principal reason for my decision to end the project is a lack of time.”

On the other hand, principle refers to a fundamental rule or law for action or conduct; remember, “rule” ends in “le” and so does principle. For example, “Freedom of speech is a basic principle of the Bill of Rights.”

Although there are other meanings for both words, these tips will help you choose the correct word most of the time.

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