What is the difference between effect and affect?

Key takeaways

  • Affect is typically a verb, meaning to influence or make a change.

    • Example: "The loud music affects my concentration."

  • Effect is usually a noun, referring to the result or outcome of something.

    • Example: "The new policy had a positive effect on employee morale."

  • Effect can also be a verb (though less common), meaning "to bring about" or "to create."

    • Example: "The team worked hard to effect change."

  • Tip to remember the meaning of them:

    • Affect = Action (A)

    • Effect = End result (E)

Part of the series Grammar Debugged—English for Devs

Affect and effect might look like same because they’re both about change, and they even sound alike. But even though they appear similar, they have different roles in a sentence.

Difference between affect and effect
Difference between affect and effect

Let's say I type a sentence on Google search that sounds correct to me, like: "Long office hours effect health." I might think this is fine, but it’s actually a grammar mistake (Thanks to Google!). Even though it sounds okay, it’s wrong because I used the wrong word.

In this Answer, we will break down each term, provide clear examples, and help you avoid common mistakes.

What is affect?

The word affect is mostly used as a verbA word that expresses an action, occurrence, or state of being.. It means an action that impacts something or causes a change. When you affect something, you’re changing it or influencing it somehow. So, affect is all about action—what you do. For example: "The weather affects my mood." The weather does something to your mood. It influences it.

Affect in different sentence contexts

Let’s explore different examples of affect in various contexts to better understand how it’s used.

Affect can also be used as a noun in psychology, referring to a person’s emotional state or feelings. For example, the patient’s affect was flat, showing no signs of emotion.

What is effect?

The word effect is mostly used as a nounA word that represents a person, place, thing, or idea. and refers to a change or result due to some activity. When something has an effect, it brings about a change or reaction. For example, “The new law had a positive effect on the economy.” The law led to a noticeable improvement in the economy.

Usage of effect in different areas

Let’s explore different examples of effect in various contexts to better understand how it’s used.

The effect is primarily a noun, but it can also function as a verb sometimes, which is less common. E.g., "The team worked hard to effect change."

Common mistakes when using affect and effect

  • Using effect as a verb

    • Incorrect: "The new policy will effect the economy."

    • Correct: "The new policy will affect the economy."

  • Using affect as a noun

    • Incorrect: "The affect of the new treatment was significant."

    • Correct: "The effect of the new treatment was significant."

Affect vs. effect

Key differences

Affect

Effect

Meaning

To influence or change something.

The result or consequence of something.

Part of speech

Verb

Noun

When to use

When talking about action or influence.

When talking about a result or outcome.

Mnemonic tip

Affect = Action (Both start with 'A').

Effect = End result (Both start with 'E').

How to pick the right one:

  • If you’re talking about the action, use affect (it’s the verb).

  • If you’re talking about the result, use effect (it’s the noun).

Test your knowledge

Fill in the blanks with either affect or effect to test your understanding!

Match The Answer
Select an option from the left-hand side

Thanos’s snap had a huge __________ on the universe.

effect

The new ruler will __________ the power balance in Westeros.

affect

Social media trends have a strong __________ on buying habits.

The new Star Wars movie will __________ box office numbers.

The Joker’s actions had a profound __________ on Gotham.

Check out our course on Grokking the Technical Writing Process, which will provide insights into technical writing, audience analysis, creating coherent paragraphs, iterative improvement, and mastering parts of speech and punctuation for impactful and well-structured communication.

Frequently asked questions

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Is affect a noun or a verb?

Affect is primarily a verb, meaning to influence or change something. However, affect can also be used as a noun in psychology, referring to an emotional state or mood, but this usage is less common in everyday language.

What is the difference between affection and affectation?

Affection is a genuine feeling of love, while affectation is a behavior adopted for show.

What is the difference between a verb and a noun?

A verb shows action or a state of being, and a noun represents a person, place, thing, or idea.

Are you affected or effected?

You are affected when something influences or changes you, and you have effected something or accomplished something.

What is an example of effect and impact?

Effect is the result of something, like “The decision had a positive effect on the company,” while impact is a stronger, often immediate result, like “The earthquake had a major impact on the city.”

Will this affect or effect my grade?

Will this affect my grade? is the correct one as affect is the correct verb here, meaning “influence.”

Is it affects me or effects me?

Affects me is the correct phrase as affects is the verb here, meaning to influence.

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