The Effects of Improper Usage Can Affect Your Life
“Effect” and “affect” have the unfortunate ability to drive people insane. As homophones (or homonyms), their similar sound makes choosing the correct spelling difficult. But there is an easy way to select the correct one.
- “Affect” is a transitive verb meaning “to act on, cause change in” or “pretend.” As a verb, it expresses action; as a transitive verb, it requires a direct object—it cannot act alone.
Example: A cold snap may affect the crops in our garden. (cause change)
Example: She affected an indifference to his problems. (pretend)
- “Effect” is a noun meaning “result or consequence” or “purpose or intention.” Being a noun, it references a specific thing.
Example: The effects of his repeated reckless driving were a citation and
a suspended license. (result)
Example: Believing war was wrong, she wrote to that effect. (purpose)
- Now here’s where it can get tricky: “Effect” can also be used as a transitive verb meaning “to make happen, to accomplish.”
Example: Bob hoped to effect a change in their working conditions.
So what’s the trick for keeping it all straight?
If you are not sure whether to use “effect” or “affect,” try replacing the questionable word with “result.” If it works, then you should spell the word “effect.” If it sounds wrong, then you want the “affect” spelling.
Example: The results of his repeated reckless driving were a citation and a
suspended license.
(Sounds right, so “effects” is correct)
Example: A cold snap may result the crops in our garden.
(Sounds goofy, so “affect” is correct)
The only time that this trick will not work is when you are faced with “effect” in its verb form. For that one, you just have to memorize the definition and recognize the difference between “making happen” and “acting on.”
If A “acts on” B, then A “affects” B. In the example above, the weather acted on the crops.
But if A “makes B happen,” then A “effected” B. In the example above, Bob hoped to make a change in working conditions happen.
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There is yet another meaning for the word “affect” – a technical term meaning “emotions.” If one has “flatness of affect,” one has a lack of emotional expression. It is not pronounced like the verb “to affect,” however. “Flatness of affect” is a symptom of certain forms of schizophrenia. It is considered a serious problem, just as the opposite problem (extreme mood swings) is symptomatic of bipolar disorder.