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Writing Tip: Affect vs. Effect

Writing Tip: Affect vs. Effect

Affect and effect may sound similar, but they certainly are not the same word and rules must be followed regarding their usage.  Now, if you have mixed up the two words before, do not worry, as you are not alone.  In fact, the old affect vs. effect debate is one of the most widely discussed when it comes to grammar. 

Affect and Effect – The Main Difference Between the Two

If you want a general rule of thumb to follow in the affect vs. effect debate that will occur in your mind when writing, simply remember that affect is often used as a verb.  Effect, on the other hand, is mostly used as a noun.

The Use of Affect

The basic definition of affect in its verb form is to influence something or produce a change.

Example:

The snow affected my tire’s grip on the road.

Affect in its noun form deals with psychology as a feeling or emotion.  Luckily, there shouldn’t be too many occasions when you run into the word’s usage in this manner.

Example:

The psychologist was observing John’s affect.

The Use of Effect

As mentioned, effect is commonly used as a noun.  Its basic definition is that an effect is a result of something.

Example:

The rain had an amazing effect on the field.

Example:

The movie’s sound effects were out of this world.

Effect can also be used as a verb at times, although it is a rare occurrence.  Effect as a verb means to accomplish or to bring about.

Example:

The mayor wanted to effect changes in his city.

Affect vs. effect can get confusing, so hopefully this quick tutorial has given you better insight into their usage.

 

 

 

 

 

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