affect or effect?
In general use, affect is only used as a verb, whereas effect is commonly used as a noun and only in formal contexts as a verb. What causes confusion is that they have very similar pronunciations and closely related meanings. If one thing affects [acts upon] another, it has an effect on it [causes it to change]. Notice also that you can affect [cause a change in] people as well as things, but you can only effect [bring about] things such as changes: The election has affected our entire society, for it has effected major changes in the government.The bad weather has a bad effect [not
affect] on him.
http://encarta.msn.com/dictionary_/affect.html
When “affect” is accented on the final syllable (a-FECT), it is usually a verb meaning “have an influence on”: “The million-dollar donation from the industrialist did not affect my vote against the Clean Air Act.”
Occasionally a pretentious person is said to affect an artificial air of sophistication. Speaking with a borrowed French accent or ostentatiously wearing a large diamond ear stud might be an affectation. In this sort of context, “affect” means “to make a display of or deliberately cultivate.”
Another unusual meaning is indicated when the word is accented on the first syllable (AFF-ect), meaning “emotion.” In this case the word is used mostly by psychiatrists and social scientists— people who normally know how to spell it.
The real problem arises when people confuse the first spelling with the second: “effect.” This too can be two different words. The more common one is a noun: “When I left the stove on, the
effect was that the house filled with smoke.” When you
affect a situation, you have an
effect on it.
The less common is a verb meaning “to create”: “I’m trying to
effect a change in the way we purchase widgets.” No wonder people are confused. Note especially that the proper expression is not “take affect” but “take effect”—become effective. Hey, nobody ever said English was logical: just memorize it and get on with your life.
The stuff in your purse? Your personal
effects.
http://www.wsu.edu/~brians/errors/affect.html
Affect
In order to understand the correct situation in which to use the word affect or effect, the first thing one must do is have a clear understanding of what each word means. According to yourDictionary.com, the word
Affect means:
- To have an influence on or effect a change in: Inflation affects the buying power of the dollar.
- To act on the emotions of; touch or move.
- To attack or infect, as a disease: Rheumatic fever can affect the heart.
Effect
The word
effect has a different meaning. Here is the meaning according to yourDictionary.com:
- Something brought about by a cause or agent; a result.
- The power to produce an outcome or achieve a result; influence: The drug had an immediate effect on the pain. The government's action had no effect on the trade imbalance.
- A scientific law, hypothesis, or phenomenon: the photovoltaic effect.
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- Advantage; avail: used her words to great effect in influencing the jury.
- The condition of being in full force or execution: a new regulation that goes into effect tomorrow.
- Something that produces a specific impression or supports a general design or intention: The lighting effects emphasized the harsh atmosphere of the drama.
- A particular impression: large windows that gave an effect of spaciousness.
- Production of a desired impression: spent lavishly on dinner just for effect.
- The basic or general meaning; import: He said he was greatly worried, or words to that effect.
Grammar Rules for Affect and Effect
Now that we have the two definitions, how do we know which word to use? Here are a few suggestions to keep in mind:
1. If you are talking about a result, then use the word "effect."
- Example: What effect did the loss have on the team?
2. It is appropriate to use the word "effect" if one of these words is used immediately before the word: into, no, take, the, any, an, or and.
- Example: The prescribed medication had no effect on the patient's symptoms.
- Example: In analyzing a situation, it is important to take the concepts of cause and effect into consideration.
3. If you want to describe something that was caused or brought about, the right word to use is effect.
- Example: The new manager effected some positive changes in the office. (This means that the new manager caused some positive changes to take place in the office.)
4. Affect can be used as a noun to describe facial expression.
- Example: The young man with schizophrenia had a flat affect.
- Example: The woman took the news of her husband's sudden death with little affect.
5. Affect can also be used as a verb. Use it when trying to describe influencing someone or something rather than causing it.
- Example: How does the crime rate affect hiring levels by local police forces?
- Example: The weather conditions will affect the number of people who come to the county fair this year.
http://www.yourdictionary.com/gramma...t-grammar.html