B. Foundations of Language · Spelling, Grammar and Punctuation

Commonly Confused Words: Principal or Principle?

B2.1 B2.2 D2.6About 40 minutes

Learning goals

I can tell the difference between word pairs like principal/principle and stationary/stationery.
I can use word parts, parts of speech and memory tricks to choose the right word.
I can proofread for confused words that a spell-checker misses.

Words to know

commonly confused words
Words that look or sound alike but have different meanings and spellings.

homophones
Words that sound the same but have different meanings and spellings, like principal and principle.

memory trick
A short saying or picture that helps you remember a spelling, also called a mnemonic.

Remember from Grades 4 and 5

In Grade 4 you learned homophones like their/there/they're. In Grade 5 you sorted out accept/except, than/then, affect/effect, lose/loose, breath/breathe and desert/dessert.

Grade 6 writing uses more formal words for reports, letters and speeches. Here are seven pairs that trip up many writers, even adults!

Pair	Meaning	Memory trick
principal / principle	principal: the head of a school, or main. principle: a rule or belief	The principal is your pal. A principle is a rule.
stationary / stationery	stationary: not moving. stationery: paper, envelopes, pens	stationary: standing still. stationery: e for envelopes
complement / compliment	complement: to complete or go well with. compliment: kind words of praise	complement completes. I like compliments.
council / counsel	council: a group that makes decisions. counsel: advice, or to give advice	A council is a circle of people. A counsellor gives counsel.
emigrate / immigrate	emigrate: leave a country. immigrate: come into a new country	emigrate = exit. immigrate = into
conscience / conscious	conscience: your sense of right and wrong. conscious: awake and aware	conscience has the word science (knowing) in it: knowing right from wrong. conscious is an adjective, like curious
device / devise	device: a tool or machine (noun). devise: to plan or invent (verb)	Like advice (noun) and advise (verb): c for the thing, s for the action

Seven commonly confused pairs for Grade 6

Stationary with an a is standing still, like a parked bus. Stationery with an e is writing paper and envelopes.

Use what you know about words

Word parts: emigrate uses e- (out, like exit); immigrate uses im- (in). This is the in-/im- prefix you know from Grade 4.
Parts of speech: device is a noun (a thing) and devise is a verb (an action). principal can be an adjective (the principal reason) or a noun (our principal), but principle is always a noun.
Canadian spelling: in Canada, a member of a council is a councillor, and someone who gives advice is a counsellor. Both have two l's.

In your community, many towns and cities have a council. Many First Nations have a band council, led by a chief and councillors, that makes decisions for the community.

It's the same move seen from two sides: you emigrate from the country you leave and immigrate to the country you enter.

Worked example

Let's choose the right word

Our class wrote a letter to the town (council / counsel) asking for a new crosswalk.

What does the sentence need? A group that makes decisions.
council = a group that makes decisions. counsel = advice.
Memory trick: a council is a circle of people.

council: Our class wrote a letter to the town council.

Worked example

Let's proofread for confused words

Find and fix the confused words: My grandmother immigrated from Portugal in 1975. She says honesty is her most important principal.

immigrated from Portugal: she left Portugal. Leaving uses emigrated (e = exit). (We could also say she immigrated to Canada.)
her most important principal: this means a belief or rule, so it's principle.
A spell-checker would miss both, because immigrated and principal are real words.

My grandmother emigrated from Portugal in 1975. She says honesty is her most important principle.

Proofreading tip

Spell-checkers miss confused words because they are real words. Some grammar-checkers catch a few, but not all. Make a list of the pairs you mix up, and use Find (Ctrl + F) to check each one when you edit.

Just for fun

Riddle: Why did the principal climb up onto the school roof?

She wanted to show everyone her high principles! (Principal = your pal; principle = a rule or belief.)

Hands-on activity

Confused-word cartoon cards

You need: 7 index cards or paper rectangles, coloured pencils, and a timer.

Choose the 7 pairs from the chart. On each card, write the pair at the top.
Draw a quick cartoon that shows the memory trick. For example, draw a smiling principal with the word pal, or envelopes for stationery.
Under the cartoon, write a sentence for each word in the pair.
Quiz a grown-up: read a sentence aloud with a blank, and have them choose the word and spell it.
Switch: have them quiz you. Time how fast you can do all seven.
Keep the cards by your desk to use when you edit.

Your turn

Choose: Mr. Ali is the (principal / principle) of our school.

Choose: The bus was (stationary / stationery) in the snowstorm.

Choose: She paid me a nice (complement / compliment) on my drawing.

Choose: The school guidance (councillor / counsellor) helped me plan.

Choose: Thousands of people (emigrate / immigrate) to Canada every year.

Choose: After the fall, he was still (conscience / conscious) and talking.

Choose: Our team will (device / devise) a plan to win.

More practice: warm-up

Which word means paper and envelopes: stationary or stationery?

Which word means a rule or belief: principal or principle?

Which word means a group that makes decisions: council or counsel?

Which word is a noun: device or devise?

Which word means to leave a country: emigrate or immigrate?

More practice: on your own

Choose and explain: Red mitts (complement / compliment) a red toque.

Choose and explain: My (conscience / conscious) told me to return the extra change.

Choose and explain: The (principal / principle) reason we lost was the icy field.

Choose and explain: A phone is a useful (device / devise).

Write one sentence that uses both emigrated and immigrated correctly.

Challenge

Find and fix the three confused words: The town counsel met with the principle to devise a new crosswalk. They bought new stationary for the letters.

Explain why a spell-checker didn't catch any mistakes in the Challenge paragraph above.

Write a sentence that uses principal as an adjective and principle as a noun.

Check your understanding

Quiz

Which sentence is correct?

What does stationary mean?

Which word fits? Thank you for the ___ about my speech.

Her family left Syria in 2016. Which word means left a country?

Which word is a verb meaning to plan or invent?

Why do spell-checkers often miss confused words?

For parents and teachers

Big idea (B2.1, B2.2, D2.6): Students spell complex words accurately and use vocabulary precisely. Commonly confused words are a big part of Grade 6 editing (D2.6), because spell-checkers often miss them.

How to help at home:

Notice these words in real life: the principal on a school newsletter, the stationery aisle in a store, council meeting notices.
Use the memory tricks in conversation: "Is your principal your pal?"
When your child edits, ask them to search their writing for the pairs they mix up.

Common difficulties:

principal as an adjective (the principal reason). Remind them it means main here.
emigrate/immigrate. Focus on the prefix: e = exit, im = into. The same person does both: they emigrate from one country and immigrate to another.
counsellor/councillor. Canadian spelling uses two l's in both.