Let’s mark the beginning of the last full summer month with some light subject matter. Grab a lemonade and tackle August quiz #1. Select the correct word.
1. I blame all the back-and-forth email as the (principal/principle) cause of the mix-up.
2. The company’s (principals/principles) are deadlocked on where to build the new headquarters.
3. Once Olivia caught on to solving (principal/principle) and interest problems, she started loving math.
4. The (principals/principles) handed down to us by our country’s Founding Fathers are a precious gift.
5. The school system’s superintendent should have made this call, not the middle school (principal/principle).
The answers
“Principal” can be used in several ways, including as a noun meaning the head of a school, one of the heads of a company, the lead performer in a dance or play, and a sum of money. As an adjective, “principal” means “main” or “chief.”
We use “principle” in just one way: as a rule or basis of conduct.
Therefore, the only time we want “principle(s)” is in #4.
Now get back to building that sand castle.
In addition to presenting workshops on writing in the workplace, Norm Friedman is a writer, editor, and writing coach. His 100+ Instant Writing Tips is a brief “non-textbook” to help individuals overcome common writing errors and write with more finesse and impact. Learn more at http://www.normfriedman.com/index.shtml.