What is the difference between 'affect' and 'effect'?
Answer: although both words can be used as verbs and nouns, usually
affect is used as a verb and effect as a noun:
The film affected everybody. (= affect, verb)
The film had a powerful effect on everybody. (= effect, noun)
'Affect' indicates feelings or change; 'effect' indicates results or consequences.
Only 'effect' can be followed by the preposition 'on'. 'Affected' is often followed by the preposition 'by':
I was profoundly affected by what I saw.
'Effective' is a very common adjective for describing how something has 'affected' you:The film had a very effective ending.
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'Effect' is also used as a verb, though it is not common. It means 'to cause' or 'to bring about':
The new management effected some important changes in the first three months.
'Affect' can be used as a noun, but is not commonly used in everyday speech. It refers to the area of psychology concerned with feelings. Others are 'percepts' (visual impressions) and 'concepts' (ideas).
Test yourself
Would you use 'effect' or 'affect' in these four sentences?
1. The weather _________ everybody.
2. The ________ of email on writing is widely discussed.
3. She was badly ___________ by the rumours.
4. The news had a good _______ on her.
