DRAFTING TIP
PRINCIPAL vs. PRINCIPLE
Principal and Principle look and sound alike, yet have different meanings. While Principal can be a noun or an adjective, Principle is a noun.
PRINCIPAL:-
When Principal is used in form of a noun it means:-
1. Main / head person, such as the Principal of a school. (to remember this people use a memory technique, “the Principal is our pal.”);or
2. A capital sum of money; or
3. A person who employs another (an agent) to act for him.
When used as an adjective, Principal means “main” or “primary,” such as the Principal finding in a study.
PRINCIPLE:- it is a noun which means a rule, tenet, or basic truth, such as the Principle of gravity.
Examples:-
> The Principal of the high school led the students in singing the national anthem. (Principal as a noun meaning the main or head person)
> The Principal issue in this case is whether the notice was served on the assessee or not? (Principal as an adjective meaning main or primary)
> Freedom and justice are the Principles upon which our country was founded. (Principle meaning rule, tenet or basic truth)
Conclusion:-
Thus, use principal as a noun to refer to important people and as an adjective to signify someone or something important. In contrast, use principle, a noun, when you mean a rule or doctrine.
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