English can be difficult. Sometimes, two words that sound the same can have slightly different meanings. This is the case with the words affect and effect. A lot of people do not know how to use these words correctly. Even native English speakers still mix up affect and effect from time to time. However, there are some helpful tips and tricks to make remembering the differences between these two words as easy as can be. So let’s find out what makes these two words different.
Affect is a verb and means to influence something.
Effect is a noun and means the result.
Now let’s use these two words in a sentence so you can see the difference.
The weather will affect what I wear.
-In this case, the weather will have an influence on what the speaker is wearing. For that reason we use the word affect.
The effect of the rain is that I must wear a raincoat.
-In this case the result of the rain is that the speaker has to wear a raincoat. This is why we use the word effect.
The noise will affect my sleep.
-In this case we use affect because the noise is having an influence on how well the speaker is going to sleep.
The effect of the noise was that I could not sleep
-In this case we use effect because the result of the noise was that the speaker could not sleep.
If you ever have trouble thinking about the difference between affect and effect there is an easy solution. Just remember that affect is a verb or action word, and effect is a noun. Meaning that if you use affect it is having an influence on something and if you use effect it means the result.
Affect=Verb
Effect=Noun
