What is the difference between the words 'Affect' and 'Effect'?

Answer 1

affect is a verb meaning to change:

'The temerature affects the weather."

effect is a noun describing a change or outcome of a cause:

"One of the effects of pollution is global warming."

Answer 2

Affect: To cause a change in another thing. (Verb)
Example: "The flower was affected by little rain. It died."

Effect: The end result of a circumstance. (Noun)
Example: "The fireworks had a brightening effect on the sky."

If you've ever taken Anatomy and Physiology, you'll know that Afferent (are affected) neurons are sensory (take in feelings of pain, pressure, or touch). And Efferent (neuron causing the effect) neurons, go toward the muscle to cause the action, or effect.

Something is affected by something else before the effect is observable.

Answer 3

"Affect" and "effect" are not related in meaning, nor do they share any senses. Used as a verb, "affect" is generally used in the sense of "to influence" (Heavy rains affected the crops.) On the other hand, when "effect" is used as a verb, it means "to bring about" (The president was well-known for effecting reform.)

As an example:
"The sentence "These policies will affect public support" could imply that the policies may diminish any public support that has already been realized, whereas "These policies will effect public support" implies that the policies in question will generate new or greater public support.

Answer 4

Affect: something is there, and something else modifies it. For example, changing your hair style affects your appearance. Your appearance was already there, but the change modified it.
Effect: brings something about (don't use this very often, usually it is mis-used). For example: Rain effects mud. There was no mud, until the rain caused it.
Rudeness effects anger--there was no anger, until the rudeness. But, rudeness affects us, and we get mad--we were already in existence before the rudeness.
If you say something is effective, it causes good results.
If you say someone is affected, it means they have silly little mannerisms.
Rule of thumb: use affect when you need a verb, effect when you need a result, and effective when you need an adjective.

Answer 5

Affect: as a noun is a conscious subjective aspect of feeling or emotion.

When the same is used as a verb it describes the act of having an emotional or cognitive impact upon. eg: "the new ruling affects our business"

Effect: as a noun is a phenomenon that follows and is caused by some previous phenomenon. eg: the climax effect was greater on the audience.

When the same is used as a verb it is to mean 'produce' or 'act so as to bring into existence'. eg. effect a change.

The new law affected the industry and effected in loss to my firm.

Tried to describe most difficult differentiation - hope i have not confused you.

Answer 6

Main Entry: 1af·fect
Pronunciation: 'a-"fekt
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin affectus, from afficere
1 obsolete : FEELING, AFFECTION
2 : the conscious subjective aspect of an emotion considered apart from bodily changes; also : a set of observable manifestations of a subjectively experienced emotion
usage see EFFECT

Main Entry: 1ef·fect
Pronunciation: i-'fekt, e-, E-, &-
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French, from Latin effectus, from efficere to bring about, from ex- + facere to make, do -- more at DO
1 a : PURPORT, INTENT b : basic meaning : ESSENCE
2 : something that inevitably follows an antecedent (as a cause or agent)
3 : an outward sign : APPEARANCE
4 : ACCOMPLISHMENT, FULFILLMENT
5 : power to bring about a result : INFLUENCE
6 plural : movable property : GOODS
7 a : a distinctive impression b : the creation of a desired impression c (1) : something designed to produce a distinctive or desired impression -- usually used in plural (2) plural : SPECIAL EFFECTS
8 : the quality or state of being operative : OPERATION
- in effect : in substance : VIRTUALLY
- to the effect : with the meaning

Answer 7

Affect is a verb. It means to have an effect upon something (someone)
Effect is a noun, and is a change or consequence of some action.

Answer 8

"Affect" is a verb, meaning "to have an influence upon".

"Effect" is a noun, meaning the result of that influence.

Annoyingly, "effect" is also a verb, meaning "to cause to happen".

Here's some examples:

The bad weather AFFECTED his health.
The bad weather had an EFFECT on his health.
The bad weather EFFECTED the change in his health.

"Affect" also has some older meanings, which you may come across:

"To have a preference for", as in "She affects brightly-coloured clothes". (You almost never hear this nowadays).

"To take on, assume", in the sense of making a pretence, as in "He affected an American accent".

"Affect" comes from Latin, "effect" comes from Latin through Old French.

Answer 9

A ffect is a verb meaning "to influence".

E ffect is noun meaning "result".

Examples 1} The drug affected me. 2} The effect of the drug was stupor.

Answer 10

affect: make a difference to
effect: a change that something causes in something else