Affect or effect?
The short answer
Most of the time, “affect” is the action (a verb) and “effect” is the result (a noun). Rain affects the game; the rain had an effect on the game.
What each one means
- “affect”
- to change or influence something (verb)
- Example: The delay will affect everyone.
- “effect”
- the result of a change (noun)
- Example: The new rule had a big effect.
Common mistakes
| Not this | This |
|---|---|
| It had an effect on me. | |
| Ask about side effects. | |
| The weather will affect our plans. |
An easy way to remember
Think “A for action, E for end result”. Two rarer uses break the rule: “to effect change” means to bring it about, and psychologists use “affect” as a noun for mood.
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