Affect vs. Effect – Difference, Uses, and Examples
Difference between affect and effect
The difference between the common uses of affect and effect lies in their part of speech. Affect is a verb, whereas effect is a noun. The verb affect means to have an influence on, impact, or change; as a noun, effect means the result of a change.
Remember how to use the correct word using the mnemonic RAVEN:
R – Remember
A – Affect
V – Verb
E – Effect
N – Noun
Affect and effect are homophones, making them hard to tell apart.
When to use affect and effect
Affect is almost always used as a verb. Effect is almost always used as a noun to identify a result of an action. It usually follows the words an, any, into, on, or, take, and the; affect does not.
Affect as a verb:
How does one's personality affect their relationships with others?
The rain will affect the number of trick-or-treaters tonight.
Effect as a noun:
What effect did the preseason have on the players?
Did the new job have any effect on his schoolwork?
However, there are a couple of exceptions to the affect and effect rules.
Affect can be used as a noun when referring to an emotional response. The noun affect is usually pronounced with stress on the first syllable.
The young child's facial expressions had a happy affect.
She took the news with a flat affect.
Effect can be used as a verb when meaning "to cause or bring about:"
The new owner is likely to effect changes in positive worker morale.
The boss will put the new changes into effect on Monday.
Affect vs. effect examples
The following example sentences use affect or effect:
Affect example sentences:
Getting a good night's rest before the SATs can positively affect a student's performance.
The teacher knew the extra credit on the project would affect the students' effort.
How has the lower crime rate affected the population of the town?
Movies and books tend to affect people differently.
Staying inside can directly affect a person's mood.
Effect example sentences:
What will be the effect of closing the store early on the weekends?
The soft, gentle tone of the singer's voice had a calming effect.
Among the effects left in the abounded house was a box of antique coins.
What is the negative effect of missing the playoffs for the second year in a row?
The doctor stressed that the patient would have to wait to see if the treatment had a positive effect or if it caused any side effects.