Affect vs. Effect: A Simple Rule That Works Almost Every Time
Two look-alike words that trip up native speakers too. One rule and one trick are all you need.
Affect and effect sound almost the same, look almost the same, and are closely related in meaning, which is exactly why they cause so much trouble. The good news: one simple rule gives you the right word nine times out of ten.
The rule
- Affect is usually a verb. It means to influence or to change something.
- Effect is usually a noun. It means a result or a change that has happened.
| Word | Part of speech | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| affect | verb | to influence | The noise affected my concentration. |
| effect | noun | a result | The noise had a bad effect on my concentration. |
A memory trick
Affect is an Action (a verb). Effect is the End result (a noun).
You can also swap in a synonym to test yourself:
- Smoking can affect your health. You could say influence your health, so it is affect.
- Smoking has a harmful effect on your health. You could say a harmful result, so it is effect.
The exceptions (for the curious)
You will meet these two in more formal English:
- Effect as a verb means to bring about: “The new manager hopes to effect real change.” She wants to cause the change.
- Affect as a noun is a psychology term for visible emotion: “The patient showed a flat affect.”
If you are learning English for everyday life, you can safely ignore these two uses for now. You will recognize them when you see them.
Try it yourself
Choose the correct word:
- The new rule will (affect / effect) everyone in the department.
- What (affect / effect) did the medicine have on you?
- Lack of sleep can seriously (affect / effect) your memory.
- The special (affects / effects) in the film were amazing.
Show the answers
- affect: a verb, to influence.
- effect: a noun, a result.
- affect: a verb again.
- effects: a plural noun.