Difference between Effect and Affect, Please Help Me

[AlaskanAssassin]

Okay, so this is a random thread. However, I clearly explained the topic so if you don't like it you should have never opened it.

I can't seem to grasp the difference between Effect and Affect. Any English majors out there that can help me?

 

[Scat]

Okay, so this is a random thread. However, I clearly explained the topic so if you don't like it you should have never opened it.

I can't seem to grasp the difference between Effect and Affect. Any English majors out there that can help me?

Affect is the cause whereas effect is the result.

 

[TroutBum]

An Effect is something that happens because of a cause. Like, the effect of fire is burning or heat - or the effect of deet is that it keeps bugs off your skin. Affect is when something acts on something else. Loud music will affect your hearing over time. Smoking will affect your lungs over time.

That is a terrible explanation now that I re-read it, but oh well.

 

[moevillini]

generally, EFFECT is a NOUN and AFFECT is a VERB.

a NOUN is an object, person, place or thing
a VERB is an action or a state of being

...or maybe you knew that already

Trout's explanation actually seems pretty good to me.

HOWEVER, the words can be reversed and EFFECT sometimes is a VERB and AFFECT is sometimes a NOUN. But most normal people don't use them that way.

 

[bordelais7]

Affect is the cause whereas effect is the result.

Affectively, yes.


Effectionately yours, bordy

 

[AlaskanAssassin]

Thanks for the help guys. Rep for everyone!

 

[Darkwing Duck]

Affect and effect come from the same Latin root, facare, which means "to do." The prefixes are basically "ad-" and "ex-". "Ad-" meaning toward, and "ex-" meaning from.

So affect is essentially toward an action (i.e. influence), and effect is from an action (i.e. result).

 

[One Brow]

Used as a noun, an affect is an chosen personal trait or mannerism, such as speaking in an accent other than your natural one or regularly using a specific hand gesture. It has nothing to do with the usual notion of the verb affect (to change something).

Effect is a noun for describing the result of affecting something. It is colloquially used as a verb to replace affect, but the use is non-standard.

 

[TroutBum]

Used as a noun, an affect is an chosen personal trait or mannerism, such as speaking in an accent other than your natural one or regularly using a specific hand gesture. It has nothing to do with the usual notion of the verb affect (to change something).

Effect is a noun for describing the result of affecting something. It is colloquially used as a verb to replace affect, but the use is non-standard.

And I thought my explanation was terrible...

 

[LogGrad98]

Here is an explanation even more confusing than any of these others:

https://public.wsu.edu/~brians/errors/affect.html

 

[sktwstdfrk]

Good stuff, now if everyone can just figure out there, their, they're & your, you're. We'll be set society.