Affect or Effect?
Discussion
I don't know what I'm on about to tell the truth.Brown and Boris said:
I can tell which version should be used within a sentence ( I think) , but can't explain how I make the choice.
I recall someone saying that 'Affect' was used in describing impact on people (emotional-affective) and 'Effect' being used for systems or objects. Is that the rule?
You can affect something or have an effect on something. You can't effect something and you don't have an affect on something.I recall someone saying that 'Affect' was used in describing impact on people (emotional-affective) and 'Effect' being used for systems or objects. Is that the rule?
This thread is for the commissioners of the spelling and grammar police.
A person/object/situation etc. can be "affected" by the actions of a person, object or force.
A person/object/force etc. can "effect" or "have an effect" on a person, object or situation.
e.g. The cornering ability of my car is affected by the type of tyres fitted, and the type or tyres fitted effect the cornering ability of my car.
or to put it another way "affect" is demonstrative, "effect" is subjective.
next..........
I am not arrogant, I'm just right most of the time.
A person/object/situation etc. can be "affected" by the actions of a person, object or force.
A person/object/force etc. can "effect" or "have an effect" on a person, object or situation.
e.g. The cornering ability of my car is affected by the type of tyres fitted, and the type or tyres fitted effect the cornering ability of my car.
or to put it another way "affect" is demonstrative, "effect" is subjective.
next..........
I am not arrogant, I'm just right most of the time.
bobt said:
This thread is for the commissioners of the spelling and grammar police.
A person/object/situation etc. can be "affected" by the actions of a person, object or force.
A person/object/force etc. can "effect" or "have an effect" on a person, object or situation.
e.g. The cornering ability of my car is affected by the type of tyres fitted, and the type or tyres fitted effect the cornering ability of my car.
or to put it another way "affect" is demonstrative, "effect" is subjective.
next..........
I am not arrogant, I'm just right most of the time.
Only most of the time? Tsk tskA person/object/situation etc. can be "affected" by the actions of a person, object or force.
A person/object/force etc. can "effect" or "have an effect" on a person, object or situation.
e.g. The cornering ability of my car is affected by the type of tyres fitted, and the type or tyres fitted effect the cornering ability of my car.
or to put it another way "affect" is demonstrative, "effect" is subjective.
next..........
I am not arrogant, I'm just right most of the time.
http://www.wsu.edu/~brians/errors/affect.html
vdubbin said:
There are five distinct words here. When “affect” is accented on the final syllable (a-FECT), it is usually a verb meaning “have an influence on”: “The million-dollar donation from the industrialist did not affect my vote against the Clean Air Act.”
Occasionally a pretentious person is said to affect an artificial air of sophistication. Speaking with a borrowed French accent or ostentatiously wearing a large diamond ear stud might be an affectation. In this sort of context, “affect” means “to make a display of or deliberately cultivate.”
Another unusual meaning is indicated when the word is accented on the first syllable (AFF-ect), meaning “emotion.” In this case the word is used mostly by psychiatrists and social scientists— people who normally know how to spell it.
The real problem arises when people confuse the first spelling with the second: “effect.” This too can be two different words. The more common one is a noun: “When I left the stove on, the effect was that the house filled with smoke.” When you affect a situation, you have an effect on it.
The less common is a verb meaning “to create”: “I’m trying to effect a change in the way we purchase widgets.” No wonder people are confused. Note especially that the proper expression is not “take affect” but “take effect”—become effective. Hey, nobody ever said English was logical: just memorize it and get on with your life.
The stuff in your purse? Your personal effects.
Occasionally a pretentious person is said to affect an artificial air of sophistication. Speaking with a borrowed French accent or ostentatiously wearing a large diamond ear stud might be an affectation. In this sort of context, “affect” means “to make a display of or deliberately cultivate.”
Another unusual meaning is indicated when the word is accented on the first syllable (AFF-ect), meaning “emotion.” In this case the word is used mostly by psychiatrists and social scientists— people who normally know how to spell it.
The real problem arises when people confuse the first spelling with the second: “effect.” This too can be two different words. The more common one is a noun: “When I left the stove on, the effect was that the house filled with smoke.” When you affect a situation, you have an effect on it.
The less common is a verb meaning “to create”: “I’m trying to effect a change in the way we purchase widgets.” No wonder people are confused. Note especially that the proper expression is not “take affect” but “take effect”—become effective. Hey, nobody ever said English was logical: just memorize it and get on with your life.
The stuff in your purse? Your personal effects.
Edited by vdubbin on Monday 25th August 13:05
bobt said:
This thread is for the commissioners of the spelling and grammar police.
A person/object/situation etc. can be "affected" by the actions of a person, object or force.
A person/object/force etc. can "effect" or "have an effect" on a person, object or situation.
e.g. The cornering ability of my car is affected by the type of tyres fitted, and the type or tyres fitted effect the cornering ability of my car.
or to put it another way "affect" is demonstrative, "effect" is subjective.
next..........
I am not arrogant, I'm just right most of the time.
Poor choice of subject matter used to illustrate the difference between the two words, due in no small part to the tyres affecting the cornering ability of your car!A person/object/situation etc. can be "affected" by the actions of a person, object or force.
A person/object/force etc. can "effect" or "have an effect" on a person, object or situation.
e.g. The cornering ability of my car is affected by the type of tyres fitted, and the type or tyres fitted effect the cornering ability of my car.
or to put it another way "affect" is demonstrative, "effect" is subjective.
next..........
I am not arrogant, I'm just right most of the time.
Perhaps the tyres have an effect on the cornering ability of your car?
Affect - verb, transitive - have an effect on; make a difference to
Effect - noun - a change that is a result or consequence of an action or other cause
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