Going along with the theme of commonly misspelled words, this time it is affect and effect. This is understandable: they look alike and sound alike and mean similar things, but they are not interchangeable.
affect verb
- have an effect on; make a difference to.
- touch the feelings of (someone); move emotionally : [as adj. ] ( affecting)
- (of an illness) attack or infect.
effect noun
1. a change that is a result or consequence of an action or other cause.
- used to refer to the state of being or becoming operative.
- the extent to which something succeeds or is operative.
- [with adj. ] Physics a physical phenomenon, typically named after its discoverer.
- an impression produced in the mind of a person.
2. ( effects) the lighting, sound, or scenery used in a play, movie, or broadcast .
3. ( effects) personal belongings .
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| Found picture here. |
“The action is affect; the end result is effect.”
- Barbara Wallraff, Word Court. Harcourt, 2000
Affect as a verb means "to influence", while effect means "to bring about".
Note: Effect is often used in an adjective or noun phrase:
- After effect
- Cause and effect
- Domino effect
- Greenhouse effect
- Personal effects
- Side effects
- Sound effect
- Special effect
Practise using affect and effect in a sentence:
These examples have been taken from news headlines.
1. Smoking legislation to affect drivers
2. 5 Facebook rulings that affect what Canadians can do online
3. Cardamom crops affect forests, studies say
4. Changes in the temperature of foods can affect taste intensity
Test yourself by rewriting these headlines using the word effect.
Sentence #3 has been rewritten about the end results instead of an action and is used as a noun: The effects of cardamom crops are detrimental to tropical forests.
- After effect
- Cause and effect
- Domino effect
- Greenhouse effect
- Personal effects
- Side effects
- Sound effect
- Special effect
Practise using affect and effect in a sentence:
These examples have been taken from news headlines.
1. Smoking legislation to affect drivers
2. 5 Facebook rulings that affect what Canadians can do online
3. Cardamom crops affect forests, studies say
4. Changes in the temperature of foods can affect taste intensity
Test yourself by rewriting these headlines using the word effect.
Sentence #3 has been rewritten about the end results instead of an action and is used as a noun: The effects of cardamom crops are detrimental to tropical forests.
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| Picture found here. |
Affect as a noun
On rare occasions, affect is used as a noun in reference to a person’s mental state or display of emotion.
For example, when speaking about a depressed patient’s emotional response to stimuli you might say they showed a flat affect to stimuli.
On rare occasions, affect is used as a noun in reference to a person’s mental state or display of emotion.
For example, when speaking about a depressed patient’s emotional response to stimuli you might say they showed a flat affect to stimuli.
Effect as a verb
When used as a verb, effect means having the power to bring about or to accomplish something. This is similar to its meaning as a noun ("end result").
Example: the principal wanted to effect a change in the school’s curriculum.
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| Picture found here. |
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