Affect vs. Affect

Attribute	Affect	Affect
Definition	Refers to the experience of feeling or emotion	Refers to the outward expression of feeling or emotion
Internal vs External	Internal experience	External expression
Subjective vs Objective	Subjective	Objective
Psychological vs Behavioral	Psychological	Behavioral

Definition

When it comes to the English language, the words "affect" and "effect" are often confused due to their similar spellings and pronunciations. However, they have distinct meanings and are used in different contexts. "Affect" is typically used as a verb, meaning to influence or make a difference to something. On the other hand, "effect" is usually used as a noun, referring to the result or outcome of an action.

Usage

One key difference between "affect" and "effect" is their usage in sentences. "Affect" is commonly used to describe how something influences or impacts another thing. For example, "The weather can affect my mood." On the other hand, "effect" is used to show the result or consequence of an action. For instance, "The new policy had a positive effect on employee morale."

Part of Speech

Another important distinction between "affect" and "effect" is their part of speech. As mentioned earlier, "affect" is primarily used as a verb. It is an action word that shows how something is influencing or changing something else. In contrast, "effect" is predominantly used as a noun. It is a person, place, thing, or idea that is the result of an action or event.

Examples

To further illustrate the difference between "affect" and "effect," let's look at some examples. In the sentence, "The loud noise affected my concentration," "affect" is used as a verb to show how the noise impacted the speaker's ability to focus. On the other hand, in the sentence, "The medication had a calming effect on the patient," "effect" is used as a noun to describe the result of the medication.

Common Mistakes

Despite their distinct meanings, "affect" and "effect" are often misused in writing. One common mistake is using "effect" as a verb when "affect" should be used instead. For example, saying "The new law will effect change" is incorrect; it should be "The new law will affect change." Another common error is using "affect" as a noun when "effect" is the appropriate choice. For instance, saying "The medicine had a positive affect on my health" should be "The medicine had a positive effect on my health."

Remembering the Difference

To avoid confusion between "affect" and "effect," it can be helpful to remember that "affect" is typically a verb that shows influence or change, while "effect" is usually a noun that represents the result or outcome of an action. Additionally, considering the part of speech and context in which the word is used can also aid in using them correctly in writing.