Affect vs Effect – What`s the difference?

Hey Welcome here! Let`s learn affect vs. effect.

Let`s learn the difference between them.

To avoid confusion, just remember that affect is a verb, while effect is usually used as a noun.

To affect means to influence, to have an impact on something or someone, or to produce a change.

For example:

1. The pandemic affects the global economies. (It means that the pandemic has an impact on the economies of the world. The pandemic produced change in economy, especially a negative change or negative impact.)

2. The lockdown in Metro Manila will affect the domestic and international flights. (It means that the lockdown in Metro Manila will change the domestic and international flights. Flights will be cancelled.)

3. The corona virus affected his health condition badly. (It means that the virus caused a bad effect on his health.)

4. Paulo`s books affect the life of his friends. (It means that Paulo`s books influence the life of his friends.

5. His addiction to video games affected his studies negatively. (It means that his addiction to video games produced bad effects or impacts on his studies.)

Effect, on the other hand, is a result or a consequence of an action. An effect can be positive (good effect) or negative (bad effect). Although effect is a noun, it can also be used as a verb which means `to cause something to happen`. In this article, let`s focus on its function as a noun.

For example:

1. One of the pandemic`s effects is the increase of unemployment. (It means that many people lost their jobs as one of the results of the pandemic.)

2. My flight cancellation was an effect of lockdown in Metro Manila. (It means that because of the lockdown in Metro Manila, one of the results is the cancellation of my flight to Manila.)

3. Her weight loss is the effect of her daily exercise. (It means that her weight loss is the result of her constant or daily exercise.)

4. The effects of the typhoon were really heartbreaking. (It means that the aftermath or the results of the typhoon were devastating or depressing or disheartening.)

5. Stronger typhoons are effects of global warming. (The formation of stronger typhoons is one of the consequences or results of the global warming.)

To sum it up, to affect means to influence or have an impact on something or someone, while effect (either negative or positive) is the result or consequences of being affected by something or someone. Remember this, affect starts with A, A for action or verb. So, affect as a verb. For effect, effect is from the cause. The word cause ends with E, and effect starts with E. E is the bridge between cause and effect.

Now that you learn affect vs. effect, let`s try the following sentences.

Choose either affect or effect.

1. My parents ____________ my decisions in life.

2. Smoking and drinking alcohol ____________ my health condition.

3. Because the pandemic situations ______________ many business, the increase of online shopping is the ______________ of the businesses` innovations.

4. Kobe and Jordan _____________ Lebron, and Lebron experiences the _____________ of Kobe and Jordan.

5. The wild animals on the road ______________ the traffic. So, traffic jam is the _____________ of the wild animals on the road.

Answers: 1. affect; 2. affect; 3. affect/effect; 4. affect/effect; 5. affect/effect

In case you would like to check affect vs effect in details, you may check how they are used with grammatical construction and explanation.

For other confusing words, you may want to check scared vs scary, bored vs boring, fun vs funny, and inspired vs inspiring.