Last week I posted a tip about the difference between you’re and your. I was so excited about the response to the post! People commented on the blog post, on our Facebook fan page, and our Twitter account (some were DMs so you won’t be able to see them), and many made requests and suggestions.
Today’s suggestion comes from one of the commentors on our post- Markk.
The difference between “affect” and “effect” is hard on native English speakers, not just those who do not speak English as a mother tongue.
The easiest way to differentiate between the two, in my opinion, is to remember that affect is generally a verb, and effect is a noun. In other words, the way you affect someone could have an effect on them.
An effect is generally a result:
“Setting low speed limits were supposed to change driving behavior, but it had the opposite effect - more people are breaking the law by driving faster than the speed limit.”
To affect is to make a difference to or create change in something:
“Using margarine instead of butter will affect the final flavor of the cake - it won’t taste the same.”
In other words, when you affect something, you product an effect on it.
Are there any grammar questions you’d like answered? Or tips you think your fellow writers would find helpful? Let us know in the comments!