play emily-brewster-with-the-words-effect-affect-on-screen
Commonly Confused

How to Remember 'Affect' and 'Effect'

A simple way to keep them apart. (Most of the time.)


Is there an easy way to remember whether you want affect or effect? Senior Editor Emily Brewster explains a simple trick that will work most of the time. For more read "Affect and Effect Picking the Right One"

Transcript

Do affect with an A and effect with an E give you a hard time? Well, we're here to help with a rule that covers most uses. Chances are, if you want an action word, that is a verb, you want affect with an A. Remembering this rule will affect—with A—your life positively. If you want a noun, you probably want effect with an E. Remembering this rule will have a positive effect—with an E—on you. Check the dictionary entries for exceptions but most of the time, it's affect with an A for action words and effect with an E for nouns.

Up next

play emily-brewster-with-the-words-effect-affect-on-screen
How to Remember 'Affect' and 'Effect'

 

A simple way to keep them apart. (Most of the time.)

play alright allright video
Alright vs. All Right

 

Is 'alright' all right?

play video cynic
The History of 'Cynic'

 

How an ancient philosophical movement devoted to the pursuit of virtue came to describe eye-rolling criticism.

play is none singular or plural video
Is 'None' Singular or Plural?

 

Or both? Or neither?

play alt-5db61f2bd1cc5
How Do You Pronounce 'Groceries'?

 

Is there one standard way?

play videos pictures in the dictionary
Pictures in the Dictionary

 

The story of those iconic illustrations.

play video schwa
The Schwa

 

The most common vowel sound in English causes many spelling problems.