Affect or Effect? What's the Difference?
©Judy Vorfeld
AFFECT means to change, touch, impress or influence something. It means to act upon something.
If someone distracts me when I'm typing, it affects my accuracy. A song can affect your mood. The high quality of the presentation affected the CEO's opinion.
Affect isn't used much as a noun or a plain verb. Generally it's used as shown above.
EFFECT (when it's a transitive verb) means to cause, to bring about often by surmounting obstacles, or to put into operation. Think of "accomplish" and "perform."
Jan Pierson effected a settlement of the dispute. The legislature was elected to effect the will of the people.
When effect is used as a noun, we get into an area of multiple meanings.
- Effect means intent, essence, appearance, accomplishment, fulfillment, influence.
- Effect can also mean goods or personal effects: movable property.
- Effect can mean giving an impression: Blue gives the effect of peace ... Eve's tears were just for effect.
- Effect can mean something designed to produce a distinctive or desired impression, like special effects.
- Effect is also the state of being operative: The law banning mustaches goes into effect July 1.
- Effect can be used as a summation. You end up saying, "In effect (virtually), John Smith agreed to wear a tuxedo once a year."
- Effect can be "with the meaning." Homer Simpson issued a statement to the effect that he would run the Boston Marathon. Next year. Maybe.
Professor Paul Brians' page on Affect and Effect
Affect or Effect Practice
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