Language is a complex communication tool, and even the most proficient writers can stumble upon grammatical pitfalls that leave them perplexed. Among the most common of these errors is the confusion between the usage of “affect” and “effect.” Despite the fact that the two words can both serve as nouns and verbs and have a similar sound, they have distinct meanings and uses.
This guide will examine the distinctions between “affect” and “effect” and offer you advice and examples on how to properly use each word in your writing.
Affect vs. Effect
The fundamental difference between “affect” and “effect” is that “affect” is a verb that means to influence or produce a change, while “effect” is a noun that refers to the result or outcome of that change.
For example, examine the sentence “My neighbors’ noisy children negatively affect my sleep.” Here, “affect” is the verb that describes the children’s impact on my sleep.
On the other hand, let’s take the sentence “The effect of my neighbors’ noisy children is that I’m sleeping poorly.” Here, “effect” is the noun that describes the outcome or result of the children’s impact on my sleep.
The following overview summarizes the key differences between “affect” and “effect”:
| Characteristic | Affect | Effect |
|---|---|---|
Meaning | To influence or produce change | The result or outcome of a change |
Example | “The loud music affected my concentration.” | “The effect of the medication was immediate.” |
Grammatical category | Verb | Noun |
Synonyms | Influence, impact, change | Result, outcome, consequence |
Antonyms | Leave unchanged, maintain | Cause, production, reason |
Usage in sentence | Usually followed by a noun that receives the action of the verb | Usually preceded by the, a, an, my, your, his, her, its, our, their, this, that, these, those |
Origin | From Latin “afficere,” meaning “to do something to” | From Latin “effectus,” meaning “accomplishment” |
Craft of Writing Quiz (Easy)
What Does Affect Mean?
“Affect” is a verb. It means to produce a change or influence something or someone. It can be used to describe the impact or result of an action or event on a person, thing, or situation.
Here are some examples of the correct usage of “affect”:
- Present tense: The lack of sleep is affecting her ability to concentrate.
- Future tense: The new policy will affect our company’s bottom line.
- Past tense: The cold weather affected the crops and reduced the yield.
When using “affect” in an active voice sentence, it should be followed by an object, which is the thing or person being impacted or influenced by the action of the verb. The object can be a noun or a pronoun, and it should be placed after the verb.
For example:
- The storm affected the power lines.
- Her absence will affect our ability to make a decision.
- The high temperature is affecting the performance of the machinery.
When using “affect” in a passive voice sentence, the person or thing being influenced by the verb precedes the word “affect”.
For example:
- The power lines were affected by the storm.
- Our ability to make a decision will be affected by her absence.
- The performance of the machinery is being affected by the high temperature.
Examples of Affect
So you can understand better how the verb “affect” works within the context of a story, here are three examples from some very popular literary works.
- In Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell, Rhett approaches Scarlet: “The dangers of the night which had driven Scarlett into panic had affected him like an intoxicant. There was a carefully restrained ferocity in his dark face, a ruthlessness which would have frightened her had she the wits to see it.”
- In Malice by Danielle Steel, an attorney explained the legal concept of malice to Grace in these words: “You have to prove that these things have been said intentionally to hurt you, and that they have affected negatively your ability to make a living.”
- Randall Finley, the funniest character in Linwood Barclay’s Promise Falls series, destroyed his chance of getting into congress with this speech: “I’m not an easy man to stand by. I live to excess. I am a man of appetites. And far too often I’ve indulged those appetites without thought to how my actions might affect others.”
What Does Effect Mean?
“Effect” is a noun. It refers to the result or outcome of an action, event, or situation. It can also refer to the power or influence that something has on a person, thing, or situation.
Here are some examples of correct usage of “effect” as a noun:
- Present tense: The effect of the medicine is almost immediate.
- Future tense: The new environmental regulations will have a positive effect on the quality of our air and water.
- Past tense: The new policy had a significant effect on employee morale.
“Effect” is usually preceded by either of the following somewhere in the sentence:
- An article: the, a, an.
- A possessive adjective: my, your, his, her, its, our, their.
- A demonstrative adjective: this, that, these, those.
For example:
- The effect of the storm was devastating.
- His persistent efforts had a positive effect on the project’s outcome.
- That unexpected turn of events had a major effect on our plans.
It is also often preceded by words that modify the noun “effect” and provide additional information about the type or nature of the results being described, such as the word “positive” in the second example and “major” in the third.
There are also some other words that combine with “effect” to form phrases, like side effect, ripple effect, chain reaction effect, snowball effect, butterfly effect, and greenhouse effect. In all these cases, “effect” is a consequence, as it should be.
Examples of Effect
Here are three examples of how to use the noun “effect” in a sentence from some recent, beloved bestsellers.
Here are three examples:
- During her struggles to spend less money, Becky Bloomwood from Sophie Kinsella’s The Secret Dreamworld of a Shopaholic observes: “This morning has been a great success. As I emerge from the museum, I feel incredibly content and uplifted. It just shows the effect that a morning of pure culture has on the soul.”
- The school trivia night in Liane Moriarty’s Big Little Lies ended as follows: “Her rain-splattered window was at eye level with the entrance doors to the building, and suddenly people began to spill out. Security lights illuminated the paved area around the entrance like a stage set for a play. Clouds of mist added to the effect.”
- After Michelle’s accident in Comes the Blind Fury by John Saul, this paragraph appears: “Slowly, the drug began to take effect. In a little while, Michelle drifted back to the darkness.”
Ways to Remember Affect vs. Effect
There are several popular methods to remember the difference between affect and effect that can be helpful for individuals who struggle with the uses of these two words.
We will describe a few below so that you can choose the one that works for you.
R.A.V.E.N Method
The R.A.V.E.N. method involves using the acronym R.A.V.E.N. to help remember the differences between the two terms.
The letters stand for Remember Affect Verb Effect Noun, which can help to remind you that “affect” is typically used as a verb, while “effect” is typically used as a noun.
Action & End Result
The “Action & End Result” method involves using the first letters of action and end result to distinguish between affect and effect.
According to this method, “Affect” is the Action, while “Effect” is the End result. Hence, when you want to describe the act of influencing something or someone, you use “affect”. When you want to describe the end result of something, you use “effect.”
Accident & Emergency
This tip requires you to memorize a little sentence. Here it is.
When you are affected by an accident, the effect is an emergency.
You can then associate the first letters of “accident” and “affect”, and the first letters of “emergency” and “effect”. It plays on the British term “A&E”, which is used to refer to the emergency department of a hospital.
The Visual Association Method
This method exists specifically for people who think visually rather than linguistically. It involves creating a visual association between the words and their meanings.
For example, you might imagine yourself entering a palace, where the word “affect” is associated with a person taking an action (such as swinging a hammer), while the word “effect” is associated with the end result (such as a broken wall).
Synonym Substitution Method
If you are writing a sentence and you suddenly don’t know whether to use affect or effect, replace the confusing word with the word “consequence” and check whether the sentence still makes sense. If it makes sense, then “effect” is the right word. If it doesn’t make sense, then you should use “affect” instead.
Right: “The consequence of the storm was devastating”
Wrong: “The storm consequence the power lines”
Since the word “consequence” can never be used as a verb, it will always look very wrong if you use it in the place of “affect”, as “affect” is a verb.
Common Mistakes & How to Correct Them
In each of the following examples, “affect” and “effect” are used incorrectly. “Affect” is used when “effect” should be used, and vice versa. Use the methods in the section above to test these examples.
Misuses of “affect”
Incorrect: The new policy will have an affect on our organization’s survival.
Correct: The new policy will have an effect on our organization’s survival.
Incorrect: The affect of the illness was immediate and significant.
Correct: The effect of the illness was immediate and significant.
Incorrect: The new training program had a profound affect on the team’s performance.
Correct: The new training program had a profound effect on the team’s performance.
Misuses of “effect”
Incorrect: The weather is effecting my mood.
Correct: The weather is affecting my mood.
Incorrect: How does exercise effect weight loss?
Correct: How does exercise affect weight loss?
Incorrect: The movie really effected me emotionally.
Correct: The movie really affected me emotionally.
Special Exceptions
While “affect” is primarily used as a verb and “effect” is primarily used as a noun, there are some uncommon exceptions where the roles of these words are reversed. Here are some examples:
Affect as a Noun
“Affect” can be used as a noun in psychology to describe a person’s emotional state or mood. For example: “The patient exhibited a flat affect.”
In this case, it is more or less used as a synonym for emotion and can easily be remembered as such.
Effect as a Verb
“Effect” can be used as a verb in legal and formal contexts to mean “to bring about” or “to accomplish.” For example: “The president effected many changes.”
This can be confusing, since “effect” is suddenly a verb that means the same as “affect” usually does.
A good rule of thumb is to understand the use of “effect” as a verb when you come across it while reading, but never to use it in your own writing. This will subtract nothing important from your written vocabulary.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you’re still struggling to understand the difference between “affect” and “effect,” you’re not alone. Here are answers to some of the most commonly asked questions about these two words.
When Should I Use Affect?
You should use “affect” as a verb to describe the action of influencing or producing a change in something or someone. For example, “The new policy will affect how we operate our business.” You may also use “affect” as a noun to describe a person’s emotional state or mood in psychological contexts, such as “The patient exhibited a lively affect.”
When Should I Use Effect?
You should use “effect” as a noun to describe the result or outcome of a particular action or event. For example, “The new house had a positive effect on my dog’s mental health”
Is Affect or Effect More Common?
Neither is more common than the other; they’re simply used in different contexts.
As a verb, “affect” is much more commonly used than “effect”.
As a noun, “effect” is more commonly used than “affect.”
Effected or Affected: When to Use It?
When in doubt, use “affected”, since it is substantially more likely to be right.
You should use “affected” when you want to describe the action of causing a change. For example, “The new policy affected how we operate our business.”
“Effected” is seldom used, but it can describe the action of bringing about something in legal and formal contexts. For example, “The new law effected a change in the way we do business.”
Effecting or Affecting: When to Use It?
When in doubt, use “affecting”, since it is right in almost all cases.
“Affecting” is used to describe the action of causing a change. For example, “The new policy is affecting how we operate our business.”
In more formal contexts, you may also use “effecting” to describe the action of accomplishing something in legal and formal English. For example, “The new law is effecting a change in the way we do business.”
Final Thoughts
Understanding the difference between “affect” and “effect” is crucial for effective communication. By keeping in mind the definitions, correct usage, and common exceptions, you can use these words correctly and precisely in a variety of contexts. While it may take some practice, the effort is well worth it to ensure that you are understood and appear literate.
Craft of Writing Quiz (Hard)
