en English es español fr française it italiano de deutsche ja 日本語 pl polski cs česky sv svenska tr Türkçe nl Nederlands

Why "principle character" isn’t the right leading role

Reviewed and edited by Lloyd Cooper 09/10/2024, 08:38
English.me team member

What kind of error is it?

Principle character or principal character. What's correct?

Word choice error

Why do people make this mistake?

People often confuse "principle" with "principal" because they sound similar and are homophones. "Principle" refers to a fundamental truth or proposition, while "principal" can mean the head of a school or the main participant in a situation.

What is correct?

The correct term to use is "principal character" as "principal" in this context means "main" or "leading".

Examples of correct usage

  • The principal character in the novel is a young detective.
  • In Shakespeare's plays, the principal character often grapples with significant moral dilemmas.

Recommended posts in Grammar

Why "a lose" is not a win for your grammar

Why "a lose" is not a win for your grammar

People often mistakenly use "lose" as a noun due to ... Learn more →

Why "acheive" misspells your success

Why "acheive" misspells your success

The error occurs due to the common confusion about the ... Learn more →

Why "itself" stands alone: unpacking a common mistake

Why "itself" stands alone: unpacking a common mistake

People might mistakenly add a space due to misunderstanding "itself" ... Learn more →

Why "blatent" is a blatant blunder

Why "blatent" is a blatant blunder

People often confuse the suffixes "-ant" and "-ent" because they ... Learn more →