Affect vs. Effect

Status
Not open for further replies.

zaed_salah

Junior Member
Joined
Apr 11, 2006
Member Type
Academic
Native Language
Arabic
Home Country
Libya
Current Location
Germany
Re: effect vs affect ?

Hi

there is another meaning for affect,it means to pretend or to feel something.
And about the examples made by Casiopea:

I think they could be like this:
To affect people; to have an influence on them not to change them.
To effect rain ; to make it raining ( to make something happen not to create it)
 

mykwyner

Key Member
Joined
May 13, 2005
Member Type
English Teacher
Native Language
English
Home Country
United States
Current Location
United States
Re: effect vs affect ?

Here's how my father taught me this lesson forty years ago:

"A few drinks will affect his recovery." It will change the natural course of his recovery, for either the better or the worse.

" A few drinks will effect his recovery." It will cause him to recover.
 

zaed_salah

Junior Member
Joined
Apr 11, 2006
Member Type
Academic
Native Language
Arabic
Home Country
Libya
Current Location
Germany
Re: effect vs affect ?

In my opinion , the second sentence would be:

A few drinks will effect recovery " for him" ( means a few drinks will make recovery happen ).
So, the pharse will be wrong because drinks will make the situation worsen .
As I understand, the meaning of 'effect' as verb is to make something happen, and I think it's not appropriate to use it in this case after all.
 

mykwyner

Key Member
Joined
May 13, 2005
Member Type
English Teacher
Native Language
English
Home Country
United States
Current Location
United States
Re: effect vs affect ?

Well, Zaed, if you've ever had a hangover, you would know that a few drinks (also known as a hair of the dog that bit you) certainly would effect your recovery.
 

bianca

Senior Member
Joined
Apr 27, 2007
Member Type
Academic
Native Language
Swedish
Home Country
Sweden
Current Location
Sweden
Re: effect vs affect ?

I understand you, Salah. I am also confused by the 'recovery' thing.

Mykwyner: You effect a recovery with a few drinks, means that the drinks are effective for your recovery, right? The question is: recovery from what? As far as I know, drinking only makes things worse.

Could these examples help?

* Effect as a verb means "to bring about" or "to effect a change."

El Nino is effected by (caused by) global warming.

* When you affect something, you have an effect on it.

Air pollution affects (has an effect on) the global climate. It is a pretty effective (not affective) means of damaging our environment.
 
Last edited:

using66

Member
Joined
Oct 27, 2007
Member Type
Student or Learner
Re: effect vs affect ?

As a verb, what is the difference between "effect" and "affect"?
Hi guys !
i am also confused about some word of English like MAN and MEN
and also there are many word like it .
 

zaed_salah

Junior Member
Joined
Apr 11, 2006
Member Type
Academic
Native Language
Arabic
Home Country
Libya
Current Location
Germany
Re: effect vs affect ?

Man and men are different; man is single. men is plural form for man, they are completely different from affect and effect.
 

centrc

Member
Joined
Apr 3, 2009
Member Type
Academic
These words are really confusing. I want to share an article with you guys that my wife wrote sums this stuff up pretty well. (The Affect of an Effect…or Something Like That | (un)Enlightened English

(Personal site -- no advertisements)

It is true that affect is generally used as a verb and effect as as noun however there are ways that affect can be a noun and effect as a verb although rare.

I think out of all the words in the English language, these are close to the top of confusing ones :)
 

pnker67

New member
Joined
Sep 29, 2009
Member Type
Student or Learner
Re: effect vs affect ?

As a verb, what is the difference between "effect" and "affect"?
As a verb affect means “to act on” or “to move” (Her generosity affected those at the hurricane shelter so potently that many shed tears)

As a verb effect means “to bring about, accomplish” (His department effected drastic improvements.)

Note: "Effect" is primarily used as a noun; "Affect" as a verb. Both technically have dual noun/verb usage possibilities.
 
Last edited:

soutter

Junior Member
Joined
May 13, 2009
Member Type
Academic
Native Language
English
Home Country
UK
Current Location
China
Generally, affect as a verb means to influence; effect however is usually the noun resulting from this influence.

Incorrect: Farmers wonder how the drought will effect this year’s crops.

Correct: Farmers wonder how the drought will affect this year’s crops.

Correct: Farmers wonder what effect the drought will have on this year’s crops.

Effect can also be a verb meaning to bring about. Affect can also be a noun, but it is used strictly in psychological contexts.

An affect or affectation is usually an assumed or false mannerism (think of some poseur lovey-dovey crops walking up and down quoting Proust to each other); but an effect (effectation doesn't exist) is a real and tangible result (think of crops sweating and rotting in the heat).

I think this gives a good distinction between these two words that are very much a stylistic bugbear.
 

nitikasnv

Junior Member
Joined
Jan 9, 2010
Member Type
Student or Learner
Affect vs effect

Hi,

Affect: Have an effect upon.
ex:Will the new rules affect me

Effect:A phenomenon that follows and is caused by some previous phenomenon
ex:the magnetic effect was greater when the rod was lengthwise"

Thanks
 

Nightmare85

Senior Member
Joined
Jul 17, 2009
Member Type
Interested in Language
Native Language
German
Home Country
Germany
Current Location
Germany
I believe I have no problems with "affect" and "effect".
(Hopefully this does not sound arrogant :))
In order to be sure, I want to ask if this is correct:
Are you saying that a hot chick has no effect on you at all?
I say effect because it's a noun.
Affect would be right if the sentence was:
Are you saying that a hot chick does not affect you at all?

A confirmation would be very nice!

Cheers!
 

RonBee

Moderator
Joined
Feb 9, 2003
Member Type
Other
Native Language
American English
Home Country
United States
Current Location
United States
I believe I have no problems with "affect" and "effect".
(Hopefully this does not sound arrogant :))
In order to be sure, I want to ask if this is correct:
Are you saying that a hot chick has no effect on you at all?
I say effect because it's a noun.
Affect would be right if the sentence was:
Are you saying that a hot chick does not affect you at all?

A confirmation would be very nice!

Cheers!
That is exactly right.
:-D:up:
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top