Affect vs. Effect: What’s the Difference?

This content may contain affiliate links. If you purchase through these links I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you. However, I only recommend products or services that I genuinely like and trust.

Affect vs. effect is one of those tricky grammar conundrums you see popping up time and time again. These words look so similar that it’s easy to get them confused.

In this blog post, I explain the difference between affect and effect with examples and give you a quick trick for remembering when to use each word.

Table of Contents

Affect Meaning

Affect is a transitive verb that means “to act on or cause a change in (someone or something),” according to Merriam-Webster. It can also mean “to pretend to feel, have, or do (something).”

Although affect is more commonly used as a verb, it can also be used as a noun to describe someone’s demeanor. According to the Chicago Manual of Style, “the noun affect has a specialized meaning in psychology: emotional expressiveness.”

Examples of Affect in a Sentence

We didn’t know how badly the incident had affected them until years later.
He would affect an air of annoyance every time he was asked to show his ID, but he secretly loved it.
Her success as a poker player was down to her emotionless affect.

Effect Meaning

Effect is a noun that means the result or consequence of something.

Just to make things confusing, effect can also be used as a verb meaning to bring something about (e.g., to effect change), but it isn’t often used in this way anymore.

Examples of Effect in a Sentence

What effect did the curfew have on you?
She loathed exercising, but she knew it would have a positive effect on her mental and physical health.
Putting climate change on the curriculum could lead to the next generation having the skills and knowledge to effect real change.

A Quick Way to Remember the Difference between Affect and Effect

One trick I always use if I’m not sure whether to use affect or effect is to think of the word RAVEN. Take note of the order of the letters.

Affect = Verb

Effect = Noun

Affect vs. Effect Quiz

Choose the best word to complete each sentence. The answers are at the bottom of this blog post.

The team tried to affect/effect their opponents’ plays, but they were too good at what they did.
The company decided that starting later in the day would have a positive affect/effect on employees’ mental health.
The new hire was not as outgoing as all the other employees, and his introverted affect/effect caused some teething issues with team dynamics, but they learned to work well together.
I tried to avoid affecting/effecting any kind of change in the office because I didn’t want to ruffle any feathers.
His doctor told him that exercising regularly and improving his fitness would have a huge affect/effect on his health.

Final Thoughts on Affect vs. Effect

To remember which word is which when you’re not sure, think of RAVEN. Affect is most commonly used as a verb, while effect is most commonly used as a noun.

Affect → Verb meaning “to act on or cause a change in”

Effect → Noun meaning “the result or consequence of something”

Affect vs. Effect Quiz Answers

The team tried to affect their opponents’ plays, but they were too good at what they did.
The company decided that starting later in the day would have a positive effect on employees’ mental health.
The new hire was not as outgoing as all the other employees, and his introverted affect caused some teething issues with team dynamics, but they learned to work well together.
I tried to avoid effecting any kind of change in the office because I didn’t want to ruffle any feathers.
His doctor told him that exercising regularly and improving his fitness would have a huge effect on his health.