"Effect" and "Affect".

[Oneearringlost]

I'm so fed up with the confusion of something that "affects" you and the "..
effect". I really get that it is not straightforward, you can "effect" a change, for instance, but by and large, one is "affected", ie, verb, to be affected, and "effect" is a noun", ie, " it had an effect".
I'm being unreasonable, aren't I? I realise that, but when I read the wrong use, my mind has to auto correct.

Veronika13
HaplotypeK
Yes!

The trick one of my primary teachers used was to test which is the noun by saying ‘the effect’. ‘The’ ends with an e and ‘effect’ starts with an e, so that’s the noun. And therefore ‘affect’ is mostly the noun.

Advice/advise actually annoys me more because they sound so different. They sound like they’re spelled.

"it had a terrible effect on me

• it affected me so badly"

Yes, Veronika! That's how I like to read things and not have to autocorrect in my mind. Spot on, although, as I said, broadly, there are variations, which I don't get hung up on.

I agree with the op. DH and I are pedantic about language. Funnily enough the children both write. DS is doing a PhD and already publishing short articles. DD has done lots of holiday work writing catalogues and has just applied for a copywriting job to part fill her gap year between first degree and Masters.

I think there's a huge societal problem at present where many people equate well qualified with well educated.

@JassyRadlett

The trick one of my primary teachers used was to test which is the noun by saying ‘the effect’. ‘The’ ends with an e and ‘effect’ starts with an e, so that’s the noun. And therefore ‘affect’ is mostly the noun.

Advice/advise actually annoys me more because they sound so different. They sound like they’re spelled.

Oh, that's a good way of teaching it. I like that. But we're getting onto a whole new subject about how we teach now....

RosesAndHellebores
Here here.
And best of luck to your younger ones....

License licence. I have this argument at work at least once a week... yes we do sell them...🙄

The trick one of my primary teachers used was to test which is the noun by saying ‘the effect’. ‘The’ ends with an e and ‘effect’ starts with an e, so that’s the noun. And therefore ‘affect’ is mostly the noun.

OH GOD IT’S THE VERB. AFFECT IS THE VERB. 🙄

I always have to pause and think for these, but it is easy isn’t it?

Affect is the action
Effect is the end result

I’m probably missing something

I had a very normal upbringing, London, state school, so I'm wondering what's changed? I have 3 DCs all state educated, one went to Cambridge and one can't spell for teeth. All had the same village school, local comp education. Now, they're all different, of course, I know that. But ( now there's something I was told never to do, start a sentence with a preposition) I noticed about 20 years ago a stark difference in the traditional type of teaching (Dd1 2001) and DD2( 2005) in the phonics approach.
Ps
I had DS in between and he is absolutely Even Stevens, neither pedantic, nor lacking. ( I hope I'm not offending anyone by using the word "lacking. )

I agree with this completely. I'm forever correcting people (internally) when the misuse both words.

I was always worried about this one until I found (on Google) the best way to remember it = RAVEN

Ignore the 'R',
A = Affect for a
V = Verb
E = Effect for a
N = Noun

I have to think this way every time I use it! 🙈

@Doje I've mentioned in the thread 'affect' is a verb, but got told I'm wrong 🤷‍♀️
I stand by what I said so thanks for confirming

Veronika13
Your right! "It can be affected" or "He has a flat "A"ffect, emphasis on the "A'

Oh, that's good Doge

@mellongoose

I'm usually the grammar police with this sort of thing, but affect/effect resides in a blind spot in my brain. Am hoping your explanation will help me going forward!!!

Me too! I have a real blind spot with affect / effect

Which is unfortunate given I have to use it regularly at work. Every time, I have to triple check I’ve got the right one and mostly I’m just placing a bet. It has a terrible effect on me.

I actually don’t know if that ⬆️ is right? 😳

@Oneearringlost it saddens me to say it but despite the fact that DH commands analysis of the written word and spoken argument is the craft of his profession, his state/comprehensive education did not teach him to punctuate. He had to learn the rules quickly at Oxford.

The DC and I received a far better grounding in the basics. However, I still delight in using "and" to start a sentence. Principally because when I asked why Jane Austin could and I couldn't, the response of my English mistress was "because you, girl, are not Jane Austin". Good job my natural affinity was more for numbers! I am still none the wiser.

We use both at work and so many peoole get them wrong. I am old and grumpy though so constantly correct grammar.

The misuse of chronic and acute annoy me as well. I've also seen a famous writer use a word incorrectly in a prize winning novel. It surprised me so much I checked a dictionary but no, I was right and they were wrong. Can't remember the example now of course, possibly inculcate.

[quote Veronika13]@Doje I've mentioned in the thread 'affect' is a verb, but got told I'm wrong 🤷‍♀️
I stand by what I said so thanks for confirming [/quote]
I mean, you're free to 'stand by' it, but it is wrong.

www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/affect
Is affect a noun or a verb?
Affect is both a noun and a verb, but the verb is far more common;

dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/effect
effect
verb [ T ] formal
UK /ɪˈfekt/ US /əˈfekt/

to achieve something and cause it to happen:

@Doje

I was always worried about this one until I found (on Google) the best way to remember it = RAVEN

Ignore the 'R',
A = Affect for a
V = Verb
E = Effect for a
N = Noun

I have to think this way every time I use it! 🙈

But this isn't right.

What does "can't spell for teeth" mean, OP?

@HaplotypeK you are right but I think at a very basic level the mnemonic helps. Affect is often a verb in day-to-day usage, and effect is usually a noun. Those who delve deeper into grammar or use both words often would know that neither are limited to those definitions.

And as much as 'were' is becoming outdated in that usage, I much rather prefer it to 'was'.

I can't work out which one of these to use.

But I know it's can't spell for toffee

Affect is commonly only used as a verb (but can used as a noun uniquely in Psychology terminology), with 2 different meanings:

1. To influence, make a difference to e.g. 'The weather tends to affect her mood.'
2. To 'put on' e.g. 'When socialising, she likes to affect an American accent.'

Effect can be a noun and a verb:

1. Noun - a change caused by something e. g. 'The weather tends to have an effect on her mood.'
2. Verb meaning to cause something to hapoen e.g. 'He effected many changes during his time as CEO'

It's difficult defining meanings sometimes! Is that about right?

Thank you for starting this thread.
I too have a real blind spot between these two. To the extent that, if I can, I try and avoid using them.