The Correct Use of Affect/effect

Affect, used as a verb means to have an influence on or to make a change in. Affect, used as a noun, describes a feeling or emotion.

Effect means to bring about, to initiate.

Usage:

Affect and effect seem to be close in meaning, but there are significant differences.

Affect means to influence. Thus, "Storage in a high temperature and high humidity environment will negatively Affect the food." [The food already exists. Storing it in a high temperature and high humidity environment will probably cause damage to the existing food.]

Effect means to bring about or cause. "If we are to raise enough food to feed ourselves this year, we must Effect changes in our spring planting." [We must change the previous way we planted in order to raise more food.]

Affect may be used as a transitive verb. The forms are Affected, Affecting, Affects.

Affect may mean to have an influence on. "The increase in earnings will affect the stock price."

Affect may mean to act on the emotions of. To touch or move. "The sight of his ex-wife with another man had its affect on him."

Affect may mean to attack or infect, perhaps as a disease. "If a woman contracts rubella during pregnancy, it may affect the development of the unborn child."

Affect may be used as a noun.

Affect may mean a feeling or emotion, especially as manifested by facial expression or body language. "The politician's voice and stance were carefully chosen to have a bland affect."

Understanding of the verb Affect is clearer when the relationship of Affect to its synonyms is seen.

"Your information will Affect my vote."

"Your information will influence my vote."

"The man's resume affected my thought to offer him a job."

"The man's resume impressed me and I offered him a job."

"The performance of that song always affects me."

"The performance of that song always touches me."

"The pictures of the refugees affected me."

"The pictures of the refugees moved me."

"I was affected by the change in his attitude since our last meeting."

"I was struck by the change in his attitude since our last meeting."

Affecting is an adjective. Affecting means inspiring or capable of inspiring strong emotion or moving. "The preacher's fiery sermons are Affecting his congregation." "Insurgency and oil prices are issues Affecting Iraq`s new currency."

Affectation is a noun. Affectation means a show, pretense or display. "His upper class accent is a mere affectation." "Her dress last night was an affectation intended to show a fashion sense beyond what she really possesses."

Affected may be used as an adjective.

Affected may mean acted upon, influenced, or changed. "The change in the one sales total strongly affected the bottom line."

Affected may mean emotionally stirred or moved.. "You could see he was Affected by the mistreatment of the woman."

Affected may mean infected or attacked, as by disease. "If you go in there, you are likely to be Affected by the disease."

Effect may be used as a noun.

Effect may mean something brought about by a cause or agent; a result. "The Effect of the bright sunshine was the melting of the snowman."

Effect may mean the power to produce an outcome or achieve a result. "The Effect of the new law was to reduce the level of new savings accounts."

Effect may mean a scientific law, hypothesis, or phenomenon. "If you want to design a carburetor you need to understand the Bernoulli Effect."

Effect may mean an advantage or lack of an advantage. "The lawyer's final speech appeared to have an Effect in influencing the jury." "The lawyer's final speech appeared to have no Effect in influencing the jury."

Effect may mean the condition of being in full force or execution. "The new law, passed by Congress, will go into Effect at midnight."

Effect may mean something that produces a specific impression or supports a general design or intention. "The lighting effects emphasized the elegant design of the furniture setting." "The tall windows gave an Effect of spaciousness to the room."

Effect may mean the production of a desired impression. "She insisted on the use of a spotlight, just for Effect."

Effect may mean the basic or general meaning, the import. "She said that he could go fly a kite, or words to that Effect."

Effects may mean chattels, belongings or goods. "After the fatal accident, his Effects were shipped to his mother."

Effect may be used as a transitive verb. The forms are effected, effecting, effects.

Effect may mean to bring into existence. "The vote Effected the end of prohibition."

Effect may mean to produce as a result. "The win Effects the entrance of the Smashers into the playoffs."

Effect may mean to bring about. "The work we do here is Effecting a new ability of surgeons to treat the disease."

[Idiom] In Effect. In Effect means in essence or to all purposes. "Her failure to appear for the interview, In Effect, gave me the job."

Understanding of the verb Effect is clearer when the relationship of Effect to its synonyms is seen.

"The Effect of the omission was loss of the contract."

"The consequence of the omission was loss of the contract."

"The Effect of the game was to put his team out of the playoffs."

"The Result of the game put his team out of the playoffs."

"Performance will determine the Effect."

"Performance will determine the outcome."

"The Effect of the bribe was that we got the last seats aboard the aircraft."

"The upshot of the bribe was that we got the last seats aboard the aircraft."

"The on-time delivery left a happy customer as an Effect."

"The on-time delivery left a happy customer as a result."

"Our dreams are the Effect of our waking experience."

"Our dreams are the sequel of our waking experience."

Effectible is an adjective. Effectible means capable of being done or achieved, practical or feasible. "If you can hire the proper engineer, the design is effictible."