affect vs. effect

[low_delta]

I know the difference between the words "affect" and "effect," but I have trouble explaining it. "Affect" is a verb, and "effect" is a noun (most commonly). That explains it pretty well, actually, but people still have trouble remembering. Does anyone have any mnemonic or any kind of trick they use to remember?

Comments

[vwip.livejournal.com]

Keep 'affection' and 'effective' in mind?

[shoo.livejournal.com]

my posts must drive you crazy...I can still make the "your and you're"
You know you love me. :)

[low-delta.livejournal.com]

Your the gratest!

[low-delta.livejournal.com]

I thought of comparing "effective," but I'm not really sure how to apply it.

[vwip.livejournal.com]

If something (some cause) has the desired effect, then it must be effective.

[low-delta.livejournal.com]

An effect is effective? That would work as long as one isn't cofused by "affect". Now is it and effect is effective, or an affect is affective?

[vwip.livejournal.com]

No, something that causes an effect could be effective.

To affect something is to have an effect on it (in some senses of each word).

[low-delta.livejournal.com]

Okay, you're not helping!

[serendipity.livejournal.com]

Yeah: affect is active. At least that helps me remember.

[rivendweller.livejournal.com]

"You cannot affect the effect!" In this sentence, "affect" is the verb, and "effect" is the noun. "A" comes before "E" in the alphabet.

[rdsc.livejournal.com]

Inside and outside - might not work all the time, but that's how I work it out. There and their is what does me in.

[low-delta.livejournal.com]

That's pretty good! That's the rule that might stick. A coworker was having trouble with this one. I wrote your answer on the board by his desk. He's going to leave it there for a while, hoping it will sink in.

Thanks!

[low-delta.livejournal.com]

Not bad, but I don't think that's going to help. My coworker needs a pretty strong and simple rule. ;-)

[low-delta.livejournal.com]

Inside and outside?

[rivendweller.livejournal.com]

Happy to help!

Devil's Advocate

[the-99th-aisle.livejournal.com]

There's also "effect" is the sense that means "to produce the effect of" as in "The politician attempted to effect a change in civil rights legislation," which is essentially the same thing as "The politician attempted to affect the course of civil rights legislation."

As for me, I always have problems deciding when to double a consonant. Referring and traveling and bookkeeppingg. Yupp.

[shoo.livejournal.com]

yer pritty kewl yer self...*hugs*

[serendipity.livejournal.com]

Well, that's about as simple as it gets, but maybe not strong enough. I guess what I was thinking was more like this.

[low-delta.livejournal.com]

affect is the act
effect is the result

Yeah, that's pretty good.

[low-delta.livejournal.com]

Yeah, "effect change." that's a tricky one. That's probably what trips up most people.

[serendipity.livejournal.com]

thank you

[rdsc.livejournal.com]

Affect for me, is something you experience inside first - it could be the sudden change of your emotional state or a memory arriving out of knowhere, but you become aware of the fact of it before you become aware of the cause.

Effect is something that hits you from outside - you see it coming and know that it is going to change you.