Grammar help - Affect and Effect...a simple explanation?

[katierocket]

I get so confused as to which to use when. I need a simple explanation and examples of usage please.

It's not clueless katierocket, some education rules say the explicit teaching of grammar isn't helpful. And you know, other than sticky weird problems like this, maybe it's not necessary.

By comparison, "He will affect my insurance." You can say "He will have my insurance." So "affect" is a verb there.

I like the suggestion of swapping the word for one which you know does or doesn't work so you can work out what it is.

nqc that's a fab idea!

in fact can you not use "have" all the time.. i am trying to think of an example that it doesn't work on...

if have doesn't work then you know it's effect, not affect..

Yeah, have works fine, as it's transitive, like affect.

Transitive means it takes an object - so you can't say "I have." without saying what you have. But you can say "I run.", as run isn't transitive.

ahh i shall use this for my friend who is also terrible at affect/effect

Affect comes towards you, effect goes away from you. HTH

"if have doesn't work then you know it's effect, not affect.. "

oh I see
thanks

NQC are you a teacher?

Goodness no. I haven't the patience for it.

I just like grammar.

I also like being helpful, particularly as I've had so much help from random people on this site.