Affect vs Effect
Published January 16, 2023. Updated January 16, 2023.
Affect and Effect are a pair of words that cause confusion – and with good reason! Their spelling, pronunciation, and meaning are very similar. The difference is their parts of speech. Affect is most often used as a verb that means to produce a change in something. Effect is commonly used as a noun that means a result produced by something. Affect is the action; effect is the result.
Here are some definitions and examples to help make the use of these words clearer.
Affect (verb)
To produce a change in something.
Examples:
Watching that horror movie affected my ability to sleep at night!
Don’t let other people’s opinions affect your decisions.
Something to keep in mind: affect is a verb that requires an object. You must affect something. In the first sentence, the object of affect is “my ability.” You produce a change in ability. In the second sentence, the object is “your decisions.” You produce a change in decisions.
Effect (noun)
A result, or a change, produced by something.
Examples:
Doing exercise regularly had the desired effect: I lost weight and feel better!
Wishing for something has little effect on a result. You need to take action.
In these examples, effect is a result; it is a noun.
Main Points
- Affect means to produce a change in something. It is an action, a verb.
- Effect means the result, or change, produced by something. It is a thing, a noun.
- If you have trouble remembering which is which, think of “special effects” – you know, like in the movies. Those special effects are things. They are nouns. Remember the e’s: Special effe The one with the e’s (effect) is the noun.