Answered By: Paul Lai
Last Updated: Jul 17, 2023     Views: 26352

The words "affect" and "effect" are often confused with one another. However, there is a difference in their meanings.

"Affect" is usually used as a verb, an action.

Example: The earthquake affected many people.

"Effect" is usually used as a noun, a thing.

Example: One effect of the earthquake was that many people lost their homes.

Of course, there are exceptions (both "affect" and "effect" have other meanings in the dictionary), but these are the two most common uses.

 

Additional Resources:

  • Beyond "affect" and "effect," there are many other words that are commonly misused in English. View a list of these commonly confused words on the Writing Center's website.

 

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