Quote:
Originally Posted by johnnyluv
Always assuming you aren't joking...
Affect: Always a verb, at least in modern usage. Think "influenced." It can also mean "pretend to feel or have," but this is much more rare.
Effect: As a noun, it's pretty simple. It's use as a verb is recent, and a little jargon-ish. Think "implemented" For example: "The changes he had effected affected the workers' moods. He affected ignorance of the whole business."
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Actually both affect and effect can be used as nouns or verbs. I use both regularly when I dictate letters, and constantly have to correct my assistants. They always seem to guess wrong.
Affect - Noun - equivalent to demeanour or emotional state. Used mostly in psychology. One of the symptoms of major depression is a 'flat affect' meaning a person doesn't seem to have much emotional response to things.
Affect - Verb - to influence. Studying is one way to positively affect your grades.
Effect - Noun - result. The effect of studying is usually better grades.
Effect - Verb - to implement or to achieve - In order to effect better grades I might suggest that you study.
In law, I use the last three the most, but got a fair amount of use out of the first 'affect' in my psych undergrad.
Effect as a verb is almost always used in the past tense (effected) which is why my example sounds a little strange.