Affect and Effect are homonyms, in which there is just one difference in their spellings, i.e. in their first letter, but when you go through their meanings, you will find that the difference between them is not slight. The term ‘affect’ is most commonly used as a verb which means “to influence” or “to change”.
On the other hand, the word ‘effect’ is primarily used as a noun and means “consequence”, “aftermath”, “result of an action” or “reaction”. Nevertheless, both can be used as a noun and also as a verb, and so it is needless to say that their meanings differ when they are used as different parts of speech.
Let’s look at these examples to understand the difference correctly:
Increase in the sales of the product is the effect of an advertisement, as it affects the minds of people sharply.Here, in this example, an increase in sales is the consequence of paid advertisement because it creates an impression in the minds of people. Now, let’s discuss some other differences between affect and effect.
Content: Affect Vs Effect
Comparison Chart Definition Key Differences Examples How to remember the differenceComparison Chart
Basis for ComparisonAffectEffectMeaningAffect means to influence or make an impact on someone or something.Effect refers to a change, i.e. a consequence of an action.ReflectsAs a result ofResultEtymologyIt is derived from a Latin term 'afficere'.It is derived from a Latin term 'efficere'.PronunciationəˈfɛktɪˈfɛktSyllabificationaf·fectef·fectUsage as verbAffect as a verb means 'to result in change in someway'.Effect as a verb means 'to bring about' or 'to realize'.Usage as nounAffect as a noun, can be used to show emotions.Effect as a noun, means result or impactExamplesThe concert has greatly affected me. The concert had a great effect on me.Definition of Affect
The word ‘affect’ simply means ‘influence’ or ‘impact’ that can make a difference or change in someone or something. It can be used both as a noun and as a verb, but mainly used as a verb, because it is an action word which tends to cause a change in something. Now we’ll discuss where to use affect in our sentences:
To have an impact on a person or thing: Due to heavy floods, transportation is badly affected. The disease affected many people in Japan. To pretend or impress someone or develop feelings: His dance was so good, that she was deeply affected. In the medical and psychological discipline, it is used as a noun to show a person’s moods, feelings and emotions: Monika’s mood was badly affected after his father scolded her.Definition of Effect
The term ‘effect’ is a noun which refers to ‘a change resulting from of an event or an action’, meaning that effect of an event or action, is the change that the former causes to the latter. Let’s understand how we can use it in our sentences:
To show the power to influence, in such a way to produce the desired outcome: There is no effect of the painkiller tablets on me. Her speech on dowry has a positive effect on people. It can also be used to indicate the state of putting into practice: The new law will come into effect from April. It denotes an impression on something: The spiritual lesson has an inspirational effect. To express sound, lighting and scenes of a movie or play: The show has special effects, which is a must watch one. To represent personal stuff of a person: The personal effects of the dead are donated to trust.The differences between affect and effect can be drawn clearly on the following grounds:
The term ‘affect’ is a Latin origin, and it means to have an influence on someone or something. On the contrary, the word ‘effect’ is derived from the Latin language, and used to denote a change occurring out of an action or event. While effect represents the ‘result’ or ‘consequence’, affect indicates ‘as a result of’ or ‘consequently’. When used as a verb, affect means merely “to influence”, whereas on using the term effect as a ‘verb’, it means “to bring about something”. The term ‘affect’ as a noun is a technical jargon in the field of psychology, which denotes a person’s emotional condition. As against, the term effect, as a noun indicates the ‘result’. Example: Heavy rains during winter season affected the crops.Consuming alcohol can have an adverse effect on the body.
Examples
Affect
The decrease in petrol price will significantly affect the spending power of the people. Demonetization has affected the country’s economy.Effect
Meditation has positive physical and mental effects. The new policy may come into effect from 1’st April.How to remember the difference
One of the most common way to remember the difference between affect and effect is to memorize the word “RAVEN”, which expands to “Remember Affect Verb, Effect Noun”. Furthermore, ‘affect’ starts with letter ‘a’ which means ‘action’, whereas the word effect begins with letter ‘e’, which means the ‘end outcome’.
