Sometimes English can be tricky. Similar words often represent a challenge for learners. What is the difference between affect and effect? If you don’t know that, just keep reading, and with this simple, but powerful guide you will never confuse these words again.
AFFECT
Normally, affect is a verb.
It means to make a difference to something or someone, to impact them, to cause them to change.
Examples:
- The COVID-19 pandemic affected everyone’s life.
- The earthquake affected the whole country.
- Some medications affect your mood.
- How have you been affected by UK state pension underpayments? (The Guardian)
- More than 288,000 affected by Sudan floods – UN (africanews)
- The Lack Of Latinos In Media Could Affect How Others View Them, The Government Says (NPR)
Less frequently, the word affect can be used as a noun. When it happens, its meaning is a positive feeling or emotion towards something or someone.
Examples:
- People sometimes use their lack of affect to manipulate others.
- After suffering a lot of traumas in her life, her family is worried about her flat affect.
- Being surrounded by loved ones improves affect for individuals with depression.
- Flat Affect: When You Don’t Show Signs of Emotion (PsychCentral)
- (…) we ask how the pandemic influenced attitudes toward immigration, diversity and affect toward Asian Americans. (Wiley Online Library)
- Negative affect on the other hand refers to athletes’ feelings of sadness and lethargy (…) (The Sports Journal)
EFFECT
Normally, effect is a noun.
It means a result, an outcome, or a consequence.
Examples:
- Everybody has felt the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic.
- The effect of the earthquake was felt throughout the whole country.
- You will feel the effect of the medication in about 30 minutes.
- Bad news for pasta lovers: the effect of climate change on food staples (World Economic Forum)
- What Is the Effect of Parkinson Disease Medications on the Gut Microbiome? (Neurology Advisor)
- Judging the effect of vaccine passports (CityNews)
Less frequently, the word effect can be used as a verb. When it happens, its meaning is to cause something to happen, to bring about.
Examples:
- His boss effected a lot of changes at his workplace.
- People in this neighborhood have effected changes in local school systems.
- Research institutes around the world are trying to effect the cure for COVID-19.
- Board of Intermediate Education Andhra Pradesh set to effect admission norms (The Times of India)
- How the Centre Effected Changes in J&K Laws Through Executive Orders (The Wire)
- People have the power to effect change – and when it comes to the climate, a change in thinking is key (Jersey Evening Post)
RAVEN: the difference between ‘affect’ and ‘effect’
Now that you know the difference between affect and effect, here’s a mnemonic device to help you always remember that: RAVEN.
What does that mean?
Remember that
Affect is a
Verb, and
Effect is a
Noun
Easy, right? Of course, as you may have noticed, this mnemonic device works most of the time, for the most common uses of these words. However, be aware of their less frequent uses.
Now that you know the difference between affect and effect, you will never be confused with these words again.
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