When is effect used as a verb

Common usage The way one thing acts upon another. Example: The effect of the law has been to increase the use of alcohol. Not common, but acceptable in rare cases. To produce a result; to cause something to occur; to bring about an outcome.

Example: Smith said the cutbacks were designed to effect basic economies for the company. The difference between affect and effect is so slippery that people have started using "impact" as a verb instead.

Don't be one of them! Another trick is to remember that affect comes first alphabetically, and an action to affect has to occur before you can have a result an effect. Your topic could be how your late-night tuba playing cause has driven your roommate insane effect. Continue reading It means to influence something, such as in the headline from the Albuquerque News , Downed Power Line Affects PNM Customers The downed power line had an impact on some power customers: they were without electricity overnight.

For example, His sunburn was an effect of exposure to the sun. His sunburn was a result of exposure to the sun. Effect might also catch you off guard because it appears in two common idioms: in effect , and take effect. Want to go deep? Much of the confusion surrounding this pair is due to a shared linguistic ancestor. Sticking to the basic guideline of effect as a noun and affect as a verb will generally keep you in the clear.

Less frequently, affect can be used as a noun to describe emotion in a psychological context. It is often used when an end result is being discussed. Effect can follow these words: the, any, an, into, on, take, or.

Affect cannot! Effect can be used as a verb in one particular situation. It can be used to mean to accomplish something or to cause something to happen. Here are some affect or effect example sentences for an even clearer picture of the difference between the two words and how they are used. Using affect in a sentence :. Using effect in a sentence :.

Use affect as the verb in a sentence when talking about producing change or making a difference. Here are some synonyms of affect: alter, change, influence, modify and impact the verb version.

That list should affect your understanding of the word. Effect is a noun, and it is the outcome of an event or situation that created a change.

The effect of the change can be big or small, but the fact that something changed is what makes the noun form of effect so important. For example, you can feel the effects of a cold or an earthquake, and the sun coming out can have a positive effect on your mood.