Explanation
Affect is usually a verb meaning "to produce an effect upon," as in "the weather affected his mood." Effect is usually a noun meaning "a change that results when something is done or happens," as in "computers have had a huge effect on our lives."
There are exceptions, but if you think of affect as a verb and effect as a noun, you’ll be right most of the time.
HOW TO REMEMBER THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN AFFECT AND EFFECT
There is one trick to help you use the right word in almost every case: the word RAVEN:
R = Remember
A = Affect is a
V = Verb
E = Effect is a
N = Noun
A is for action (affect); E is for end result (effect). But to fully understand a word's meaning, it helps to see it in action.
Examples
Affect & Effect
- How does one’s personality affect success on the job?
- These weather conditions will affect the number of people who will come to the outdoor concert
- The prescribed medication had an effect on the patient's symptoms.
- We have to give the changes time to take effect.
