Q. 1 “Going by the ____ that many hands make light work, the school ____ involved all the students in the task.”
The words that best fill the blanks in the above sentence are
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Understanding the Question
The sentence is: “Going by the ____ that many hands make light work, the school ____ involved all the students in the task.”
This tests your grasp of principle vs principal, two homophones (words that sound alike but differ in meaning and spelling). The first blank needs a noun for a general rule or belief, while the second refers to the school’s leader.
Correct Answer: (A) principle, principal
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First blank: principle (a fundamental truth or rule, like a proverb).
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Second blank: principal (the head of a school).
Full sentence: “Going by the principle that many hands make light work, the school principal involved all the students in the task.”
This fits perfectly—”many hands make light work” is a proverbial principle (guiding belief), and the principal (school head) acts on it.
Quick Breakdown: Principle vs Principal
| Word | Meaning | Part of Speech | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Principle | A basic rule, law, or moral belief | Noun | Honesty is a key principle in life. |
| Principal | 1. Main or most important 2. Head of a school |
Adjective or Noun | The principal amount; school principal. |
Mnemonic Tip: PRINCIPLE has “principle” like “rule”—think “pal at the end” for your buddy the rule. PRINCIPAL has “pal” in it—the school principal is your pal.
Why Other Options Are Wrong
Let’s examine each choice:
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(B) principal, principle: Wrong. “Principal that many hands…” doesn’t work—”principal” as an adjective means “main,” but it can’t introduce a “that” clause for a belief. “School principle” is nonsense—no such role exists.
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(C) principle, principle: Half-right. “Principle” fits the first blank (the proverb as a rule). But “school principle” fails; schools have principals, not principles.
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(D) principal, principal: Incorrect. As noted, “principal that…” misuses the adjective/noun. And while “school principal” works, the first blank collapses.
Only (A) aligns both meanings grammatically and contextually.
Common Mistakes and Exam Tips
These words trip up learners because they sound identical (/ˈprɪnsɪpəl/). In exams (IELTS, TOEFL, or school quizzes), context clues like “school” signal principal, while abstracts like proverbs point to principle.
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Practice Tip: Read aloud—principal evokes a person; principle a concept.
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Bonus Examples:
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Principle: “Stick to your principles during tough times.”
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Principal: “The principal addressed the assembly.”
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Mastering principle vs principal boosts vocabulary scores. For more homophone guides, check grammar resources like Oxford or Merriam-Webster.
