I’m b-a-a-a-k! Who knows for how long because I’m now looking for work again since I’m almost finished with editing a novel. Unfortunately, work has to come first now since the economy took its steep dive. I really was enjoying my retirement.
Anyway… Affect and effect.
Affect is ordinarily a verb. It means to influence.
For example: Your tears don’t affect me. In other words the tears don’t influence me.
Effect is ordinarily a noun. It means a result or something that makes an impression.
For example: His tears had no effect on me. I know I’m a hard-hearted one.
Another example: The effects of the avalanche were catastrophic.
But wait! Fasten your seatbelts. This is English, so you know it can’t be that easy to differentiate the two words.
Effect can sometimes be a verb, and affect can sometimes be a noun. Well, really! How rude.
As a verb effect means to bring about or produce.
For example: The company effected some downsizing changes.
As a noun affect is used mainly in psychological terms to describe a facial or other physical reaction.
For example: Your child has a flat affect. This means the child show no reaction of any kind.
Another example: Your laughter at something sad shows an inappropriate affect.
Recent Comments