On affect / effect

This one can be tricky. Both words can be either a noun or a verb depending on the meaning and context. In most cases, use affect for the verb and effect for the noun.

Let’s start with the verb form:

To affect something or someone is to have an impact or cause a difference:

Hurricane Ike affected the school year because we had to close the school for a week.

Affect can also mean to put on a false show:

That silly French accent he affected wasn’t fooling anybody.

Effect is usually used with change:

In order to effect change in the system, you have to get involved.

*Chances are this is NOT the noun you want.*

Check out the Merriam-Webster definitions for a closer look.

affect

effect

The noun forms are easier to tell apart because their meanings aren’t similar like the verbs:

Affect is a noun that describes a person’s behavior or emotions:

I am worried about Tony. He is concealing his sadness behind a flat affect so everyone will think he’s OK.

*Chances are this is NOT the noun you want.*

The noun effect is a lot like the verb affect – this is the word you want to use when describing how one thing causes another to change:

The effects of the storm were so severe that we had to close the building until we were sure it was safe.

Effect can also be used to indicate someone’s belongings:

Don’t forget to collect your personal effects from your locker.

Check out the Merriam-Webster definitions for a closer look.

affect

effect

Remember – in most cases, you want to use affect for the verb/action and effect for the noun/thing.