English grammar is at times confusing. Some words are difficult to pronounce, other words that are almost impossible to spell without using a dictionary, and some words sound very similar (homophone) but have very different definitions. Perhaps there are no two words in English that cause a grammatical struggle other than the use of affected vs effected. To know when to use the correct word, you must know its exact meaning when speaking or writing.
Affect
- It means to influence
- To emotionally move someone
The word “affect” is used in a similar as;
- Concern
- Impress
- Influence
- Move
- Strike
- Stir
- Sway
- Touch
Examples of “affect” in a sentence
- His happiness affected his mental recovery.
- The long dry period affected our crop production this year
- His fantastic speech was meant to affect those who were sad.
Learning point
The term “affect” is often used as a verb, but it can also sometimes be a noun. Using “affect” as a noun is a much rarer use case than simply using the word “effect.”
Effect
- Means a result or outcome
- Power to show or lead to something
- Scientific event
The word “effect” is used in a similar as:
- Conclusion
- Consequence
- Fate
- Outcome
- Product
- Result
- Sequence
- Matter of course
Examples of “effect” in a sentence
- The effect of the whole performance made me very happy.
- The greenhouse effect is becoming more apparent.
- The effect of the lightning striking the tree was a wildfire.
Learning point
The word “effect” is, in most cases, used as a noun. There are also some rare cases when used in the past tense where “effect” can be a verb such as in the sentence “nature always effected a cure.”
Using “Affect” and “Effect” in a Sentence
Sometimes you may need to use both words, effect and affect, in a sentence. This is definitely possible as you can see from the following examples.
Examples of using “affect” and “effect” in a sentence
- The greenhouse effect can affect our climate if not checked.
- The effects of this virus will soon affect those who are not sick.
- The drug had an immediate effect on the affected body part.
- His text message affected his driving and the effect was that he got in a car accident.
Conclusion
Normally the word “affect” is used as a verb and “effect” is used as a noun. For you to avoid confusion when using these two words, remember “affect” is used when you need a verb while “effect” is used when a noun is required in a context.
