There is a basic principle that guides many rules. Which sentence uses 'principle' correctly to mean a fundamental truth?

There is a basic principle that guides many rules. Which sentence uses 'principle' correctly to mean a fundamental truth?

• A. A principle is a basic truth or law that guides behavior.
• B. The principal reason for the delay was weather.
• C. The principal dog slept by the door.
• D. The principal rules govern the system.

Answer: (A)

Principle here means a fundamental truth or rule that guides behavior. The sentence that defines principle this way uses the word in its true sense: a principle is a basic truth or law that guides how we act. The other sentences use principal, not principle, to mean main or chief (as in the main reason, the main dog, the main rules) or refer to a person in charge, which is a different word with a different meaning. So the sentence that uses principle to express a foundational truth is the correct one.

Principle here means a fundamental truth or rule that guides behavior. The sentence that defines principle this way uses the word in its true sense: a principle is a basic truth or law that guides how we act. The other sentences use principal, not principle, to mean main or chief (as in the main reason, the main dog, the main rules) or refer to a person in charge, which is a different word with a different meaning. So the sentence that uses principle to express a foundational truth is the correct one.