Principal vs. Principle

[CalGal_IHB]

PRINCIPAL VS. PRINCIPLE

OK, I’m going to be the person that everyone hates – the Grammar police. I’ve seen “principal” and “principle” used in a variety of ways. I forgot which one was used when referring to money – so I looked it up on www.dictionary.com

Principal

(noun) is the original amount of debt on which interest is calculated

(The monthly payments go mostly for interest, leaving the principal practically untouched).

(noun) the head or director of a school

(The faculty supported the principal in her negotiations with the board)

(adjective) has the general sense “chief, first, foremost”

(My principal objection is the cost of the project.)

Principle

(noun) something established as a standard or test, for measuring, regulating, or guiding conduct or practice

(A man of principle.)

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Here’s an easy way to remember it:

PrinciPAL: your high school teacher and your money are your PALS.

 

[EvaLSeraphim_IHB]

Make it a principle to not raid your principal?

 

[CalGal_IHB]

Good way to remember it.

 

[EvaLSeraphim_IHB]

I thought yours was pretty good too. Now if I could just get affect and effect figured out...

 

[CalGal_IHB]

I never get affect and effect right.

 

[hopia_IHB]

Also, AVDISE vs ADVICE.

 

[effenheimer_IHB]

To Serve and Correct:

 

[EvaLSeraphim_IHB]

Love it, Eff. I will need to print that out and put it on my wall at work to serve as a warning to all involved.

 

[IrvineCommuter_IHB]

How I remember: affect is a verb, effect is a noun

 

[effenheimer_IHB]

Here's your badge, Trooper Eva:

 

[awgee_IHB]

hopia - Don't you mean avdise vs. avdice?

 

[IrvineRenter_IHB]

Or perhaps advise vs. advice?

 

[awgee_IHB]

IR - I was being silly.

 

[hopia_IHB]

How about THEIR vs THEY'RE. Although I'm often guilty of mixing these up myself.

 

[IrvineRenter_IHB]

"IR - I was being silly."

I know...

 

[IrvineRenter_IHB]

When writing, I always have to be conscious about YOUR and YOU'RE, and THEIR and THERE.

 

[IrvineCommuter_IHB]

One should not use "they're" or "you're" anyways. Contractions are so 1980s. Sorry pet peeve.

 

[hopia_IHB]

IC, You're right.

 

[CalGal_IHB]

IR, the way I remember THEIR and THERE is

"their" has an "e" for "her" and "i" for "his" in it. Meaning the word "their" is always used for people.

And then I use "there" for everything else.

I need to use memory tricks for the tricky stuff like that.

 

[IrvineRenter_IHB]

The main problem with all these words is they get past your spell checker.