What's the difference between "affect" and "effect"?

The easiest way to remember the difference is that "affect" is usually a verb (an action), while "effect" is usually a noun (a result).

Here is a breakdown to help you keep them straight:

1. Affect (The Action)

Think of Affect as an Action. It means to influence or change something.

• Example: "The loud music affected my ability to study." (The music had an influence on your studying.)
• Example: "How will this new law affect our neighborhood?" (How will it change things?)

2. Effect (The Result)

Think of Effect as the End result. It is the noun that describes what happened.

• Example: "The medication had a positive effect on his health." (The result of the medication was positive.)
• Example: "The special effects in that movie were incredible." (The results created for the film.)

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The "RAVEN" Mnemonic

If you ever get stuck, just remember RAVEN:

• Remember
• Affect =
• Verb
• Effect =
• Noun

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Two Tricky Exceptions (For the curious)

English is rarely simple, so there are two rare exceptions to be aware of:

• Effect as a verb: It means "to bring about" or "to cause to happen." This is almost always used with the word "change."
  • Example: "The new manager hopes to effect change in the office." (She wants to cause change to happen.)
• Affect as a noun: This is a term used in psychology to describe a person’s visible emotional expression.
  • Example: "The patient showed a flat affect." (Their face showed no emotion.)

In 99% of your writing, though, just stick to the RAVEN rule: Affect for the action, Effect for the result!