What is the Difference Between Affect and Effect?
Some of us have been speaking and writing in English for a long time. We started learning the language a long time ago. We started learning when we were in kindergarten. Then over the years, we came across lots of words. So, we know about the language to a great extent. It gives us a sense of immense pleasure when we are talking to others. It increases our prestige and gives us a lot of confidence. Very quickly we find ourselves speaking in a public platform as we know about the language and we speak it fluently.
We also see that few people are not able to speak the language well. They do not have a good command of the words, and so they feel inferior to others. This should not be the case. All people should be equal, and no one should feel inferior to others. It is always easy to know about the language and to speak well also.
We know that people who know how to speak in public always have a good command of the language. They are able to speak in a tone that is not the same as others. They have a good voice that inspires respect among people. People also come to them to improve their confidence and to ask them for suggestions on how their children can also have a good command of the language.
Language can also be cruel at times. There are some pairs of words that look alike. However, there is a small difference in their meaning. It can be confusing for people who have very little command of the language. They will find it very difficult to comprehend whether they know the differences between affect and effect. They think they are speaking about the same thing, but they are confusing them as well as other people. But in reality, they are not speaking in the correct manner.
In the digital age, everything is at your fingertips and in front of your eyes. Yet people find that they do not know the difference between affect and effect. Now, if someone speaks in the wrong terms, people will not take it very well. People will think that all the data is on the Internet. They are able to speak freely with people as they should. However, it is easy to find the difference between effect and affect.
We always try to make sure that more people are able to comprehend the language and know the affect and effect difference. We have looked at the terms closely and have done active research on the Internet to find out differences in these terms. We try to make the terms easy to understand for lots of people. That way, they will be able to see the small variations in the meaning of all the words. This will allow them to talk to others freely. In this article, we will eliminate the worry about how do I remember the difference between affect and effect?
Definition of Affect
When we get to know about the difference between affect and effect, let us know the first term first. So, affect is a verb, and it indicates an action. Now, when a person pushed another person, then the person who pushed the other person affected him or her. This is because the first person acted or did something. It is a verb.
Now, to affect means that an entity is acting on another. This is the main difference between effect and affect. So, it can be a person paying another person. Or, it can also be one person helping another person. In these cases, an action is performed by the first person. We need know that this person is affecting the other person.
We now have examples of the differences between effect and affect difference. When there is an impact on another entity, we say this: the floods have affected the city very badly. Here, there is an action that took place in the city. There is flooding, and that is what happened.
This is also used when the singer sang very well. Maybe the singer was singing sad songs, or the mood was jovial and romantic songs were sung. We will say that the singer had affected us with the songs that were sung.
We were all scolded at school because sometimes we did not obey the teacher or we fought with the others. After the scolding, we were in a sad mood. So, it was the reprimand that had affected us.
We also say that we are affected by the bad things that are happening around us. We get sad, and the mood is gloomy. In some cases, the actions are on us. In other cases, the actions are happening on others. It can also affect the mental state of another person or entity. Either way, the affect is an action that occurs on another person. It can also be an entity.
Definition of Effect
We will now move on to the second part of what is the difference between affect and effect. The latter word is a noun. It occurs when a change has happened as a result of the force of any action that has taken place.
Let us now look at a difference between affect and effect example. Now, when there is a natural calamity like a cyclone or a hurricane, we will say that the effect of the disaster is astonishing. In this case, we are using the term to actually display the extent of the damage that the disaster had caused in the surroundings. But we will say that it should affect a lot of people as it will wreak havoc in the particular area.
We can also use this to say that a particular circular will be in effect from a particular date. Here we are saying that it will be effective or put into effect as of that date. This has another connotation than before.
Anyone can also depict this as an influence that one entity can have on another. We will now look at one of the main differences between the examples of affect and effect. Now, if you have attended a motivational speech by a spiritual guru or a well-known consultant, you will say that the effect the session has on you is good. Moreover, you will say that the speech is bound to affect the psyche of the attendees.
There are other ways to depict the effect and affect difference in a significant way. We can also say that some medication will have a perfect impact on the disease; while others will not have an ideal effect. On the other hand, we will assume that some event will affect the people of that region very much. Although the words do not vary much, the use of these terms varies widely.
Affect vs Effect Comparison Table
Let us know what is the difference between effect and affect in a tabular form.
Basis of Comparison | Effect | Affect |
What it means | It shows what changed after some incident occurred | It means the influence of an event |
What does it show | It explains what the result is due to an event | It shows that as an outcome of something, this is what is what happens |
As an example | The effect of the rains is that there are floods everywhere | The floods have affected the people very much |
There are few exemptions also where affect can be used as a noun, and that effect can be used as a verb. But that is how the language is.
Conclusion of the Main Difference Between Affect vs Effect
We had tried to know the difference between effect and affect. We saw the areas in which both of these terms can be used. We see that when there is an action, we use affect. For example, when we helped another person, we actually affected that person by helping him or her. Again, when there is any crisis in the financial market, we say that the event has affected lots of companies.
Let us now talk about the other term. It also has its specific use. When a person has attended a fashion show, we say that the effect it will have on that person will not be very good. Our parents also used to say that we should not mix with the wrong people as it has a negative effect on us.
We had learned about the difference between effect and affect. Now, we found out that although these words are similar, there is a very small difference in their meaning. However, to speak freely, we should be aware of the variations, no matter how small.