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Aim for precision: why "principle aim" misses the mark
Lloyd Cooper 05/10/2024, 08:58
What kind of error is it?
Word choice error
Why do people make this mistake?
People often make this error because the words "principle" and "principal" are homophones—they sound the same but have different meanings and spellings. In this context, "principal aim" is the correct collocation, meaning the primary or main aim of something.
What is correct?
The correct term is "principal aim". "Principal" is an adjective that means most important or main, which fits the context of aiming or focusing on the primary objective.
Examples of correct usage
- The principal aim of the project is to improve community health.
- Our principal aim is to reduce carbon emissions by 40%.
- Education is the principal aim of our program.
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