Principal vs Principle | Definition & Examples

Published on May 30, 2024 by Trevor Marshall, MSc. Revised on November 5, 2025

Both principle and principal have the same pronunciation but their meanings are different.

  • Principal can be used as a noun to refer to someone in authority, someone who commits a crime, and the capital portion of a loan. As an adjective it means “primary” or “most important.”
  • Principle is also a noun, and it refers to standards or rules, especially in law, science, or ethics.
Examples: Principal in a sentence Examples: Principle in a sentence
The school principal was very popular with both students and faculty. As a matter of principle, Jenny never used the self-service checkout.
The report’s principal conclusions were later questioned by critics. The scientific principle of conservation of mass states that matter cannot be created or destroyed.

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What Is a Sentence Fragment? | Examples & Definition

Published on May 25, 2024 by Trevor Marshall, MSc. Revised on November 27, 2025

A sentence fragment is a piece of writing that looks like a sentence but is grammatically incomplete. This is normally because it is missing a subject or a verb.

Sentence fragments can usually be spotted quite easily because they do not express a complete thought. They always lack at least one piece of information that is key to understanding the meaning.

Sentence fragment examples
  • My lucky day.
  • Since it was their turn.
  • The green, green grass of home.

Continue reading: What Is a Sentence Fragment? | Examples & Definition