Commonly Confused

How to Remember 'Affect' and 'Effect'

A simple way to keep them apart. (Most of the time.)

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CANCEL

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Featuring: Emily Brewster

Is there an easy way to remember whether you want affect or effect? Senior Editor Emily Brewster explains a simple trick that will work most of the time. For more read "Affect and Effect Picking the Right One"

Transcript

Do affect with an A and effect with an E give you a hard time? Well, we're here to help with a rule that covers most uses. Chances are, if you want an action word, that is a verb, you want affect with an A. Remembering this rule will affect—with A—your life positively. If you want a noun, you probably want effect with an E. Remembering this rule will have a positive effect—with an E—on you. Check the dictionary entries for exceptions but most of the time, it's affect with an A for action words and effect with an E for nouns.

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