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When to use effect and affect??

shiloh1 ๐Ÿšซ

Long time since English class. But I'm fairly sure some authors confuse the two.

Replies:   Mushroom  bk69
Mushroom ๐Ÿšซ

@shiloh1

Just remember RAVEN.

Remember,
Affect is a
Verb,
Effect is a
Noun.

In short, affect is something done, effect is the result.

The worst affect of the rain is I am wet.
Because of the effect of the rain, I am wet.

Switch Blayde ๐Ÿšซ

@Mushroom

Just remember RAVEN.

I remember it with "a verb"

The verb (affect) starts with an "a".

BlacKnight ๐Ÿšซ

@Mushroom

Just remember RAVEN.

Remember,
Affect is a
Verb,
Effect is a
Noun.

While this is a good general guideline, it's not always the case, and I think it's better to actually understand the difference between "effect" and "affect" than to blindly apply a rule that isn't always correct.

"Effect" is most commonly a noun, and "affect" is most commonly a verb, but they can both be either, and they're not synonyms in either case.

As verbs, "affect" means to influence or change, while "effect" means to cause or create.

As nouns, "effect" is an outcome or result, while "affect" (pronounced differently than the verb, รฆf-fekt rather than ษ™-fekt) is primarily psych jargon meaning emotional response or the outward expression thereof.

awnlee jawking linked an earlier post of mine where I went into more detail about it.

In short, affect is something done, effect is the result.

The worst affect of the rain is I am wet.
Because of the effect of the rain, I am wet.

And you're not even following your guideline here. Both of those uses are nouns, and should be "effect". Using the verb would look something like:

"Because the rain affects me, I am wet."

awnlee jawking ๐Ÿšซ

If you search the forum, you'll find this has been discussed several times. Here is one instance.

AJ

Replies:   Jim S
Jim S ๐Ÿšซ

@awnlee jawking

If you search the forum, you'll find this has been discussed several times. Here is one instance.

As have topics on author's misuse of homynyms. At present, it happens so frequently that I'm half convinced that some authors here are using buggy speech software or just plain doing it on purpose to get a rise out of the grammar nazis. Otherwise I'd have to believe that recent educational standards have fallen to such low levels that the difference between spoken English now and 50 years from now will differ as much as modern English does from Chaucer's English.

Replies:   bk69  irvmull  Dominions Son
bk69 ๐Ÿšซ

@Jim S

Otherwise I'd have to believe that recent educational standards have fallen to such low levels

s/recent//

irvmull ๐Ÿšซ

@Jim S

Otherwise I'd have to believe that recent educational standards have fallen to such low levels that the difference between spoken English now and 50 years from now will differ as much as modern English does from Chaucer's English.

Bingo, we have a winner!
I have lately been thinking that my hearing is going, because I have trouble understanding some ads on TV.

Audiologist says no, my hearing is fine. The actors just can't speak a language that is understandable to anyone over the age of 30.

Of course, the writers of the ads share some responsibility for that as well.

Dominions Son ๐Ÿšซ

@Jim S

Otherwise I'd have to believe that recent educational standards have fallen to such low levels that the difference between spoken English now and 50 years from now will differ as much as modern English does from Chaucer's English.

That wouldn't necessarily require a drop in educational standards.

bk69 ๐Ÿšซ

@shiloh1

Effect involves change. Affect involves appearance/perception. Both are both nouns and verbs.

Honey_Moon ๐Ÿšซ

It never effects me when he affects his snooty rich boy attitude.

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