Do know about the difference between affect and effect? The words affect and effect are often confused as they sound and look similar. However, there is a difference in their meaning. Here in this post, we will let you know what is meant by affect and effect, when to use them, and how the words affect and effect are different.
Meaning of Affect
Affect is usually used as a verb. The meaning of affect is “to act on”, “change” or “to have an impact on something”.
Affect also means “to touch the feelings of” or “to move emotionally.”
You can use the word “affect” in a sentence when you want to describe an action or to express a change.
Examples of Affect
Here are some examples of ‘affect’ in a sentence.
- The building was badly affected by the fire.
- The farmers were affected by the drought.
- Junk food will affect your body.
- Does technology affect our lives?
Meaning of Effect
Effect is usually used as a noun. The meaning of the effect is “consequence” or “result of a change”.
You can use the word “effect” to point at a thing or an event. In particular, the word is commonly used while discussing the end result. The effect can be positive or negative.
Examples of Effect
Here are some examples of effects in a sentence.
- People must understand the serious effects of smoking.
- What are the effects of technology on education?
- Exercise has positive effects on the body.
- That tragic incident had a profound effect on us.
Difference between Affect and Effect
So, how affect is different from effect? Always keep in mind that affect is a verb and a noun. There are, however, a few exceptions. In many instances, both words are used as parts of speech. Many people pronounce both words as homophones because they sound the same.
You can involve ‘affect’ as an action word and a word. In place of “to influence someone or something,” affect is used as a verb. For instance, “Farming is seriously affected by drought.” The sentence talks about how drought influences farming.
Affect is a noun that can be used to express an emotion. Say, for instance, “The lyrics of the song affected him”. That is, his emotions or mood were altered by the song’s lyrics. Here, affect is used to talk about how someone feels.
Common words like influence, change, alter, impact, and modify all have similar meanings to affect.
However, effect is different from affect. Frequently, effect is used as a noun and it alludes to the outcomes or results of something. You will feel the effects of any event that affects your life. The following are more frequently associated with the word “effect”: any, into, take, the, on, or For instance, “What effects does technology have on education?”
Additionally, effect can be used as a verb in place of “to cause something to happen” or “to achieve something.” For instance, “The new supervisor is bound to effect optimistic changes in the company“.
The terms result, consequence, repercussion, outcome, and aftermath are all common words that can be used to describe the same thing as effect.
A Trick to Memorize the Difference between Affect and Effect
Here are some easy tips for you to remember the difference between affect and effect.
Think of the word RAVEN, its expansion is
R – Remember
A – Affect is a
V – Verb
E – Effect is a
N – Noun
With this short form, you can easily identify the difference between both words.
There is another easy method for you to remember. You can use mnemonics for recalling. Affect starts with A; A is for action. We all know that a verb refers to action and hence remember that Affect is a verb.
To easily remember the effect, think of the common phrase “Cause and Effect”. Here, cause ends with an E and effect starts with an E. Cause not only leads to effect but also the E in cause leads to the E in effect. So, with this trick, you can remember which spelling to use- affect or effect.
Conclusion
We hope you are now clear about the original meaning of the words affect and effect. Whenever you get confused about a word, make sure to find its real meaning and learn how to use that word in a sentence. This will definitely help you to improve your vocabulary. In case, you have doubts regarding the usage of any word, feel free to contact us.
1. What is an example of affect and effect?
Covid-19 affected the overall health of the world’s population. 100% attendance is an effect of the free education system.
2. How will this effect or affect me?
It depends on your need for a noun or a verb. The sentence shows that a need for a verb is more prominent here, hence, affect will be the correct answer.
3. How do you use affect and effect in a sentence?
Covid-19 affected the overall health of the world’s population. 100% attendance is an effect of the free education system. You can use affect and effect in one single sentence too: The rainy weather affected my mood and it had a negative effect on my work pace – I wrapped up really late.
