Tips for Writers: Effect or Affect? Which Word Is Correct?

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The elephant effect affects ants.

The words effect and affect force many people to flip through the dictionary. This simple explanation and graphic may settle the confusion.

Affect is generally used as a verb.

Music affects a person’s mood.

And here’s the confusing part. When you affect something, you can produce an effect or change in it.

Are you more confused than ever?

Artie the Ant and his friend have it all figured out. The poor little fellows somehow grew elephant trunks.

The elephant effect affects ants.

Need I say more?

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4 thoughts on “Tips for Writers: Effect or Affect? Which Word Is Correct?”

  1. Thanks, but I must admit I feel so dumb every time this rears up and completely interrupts my creative flow. “E or A?” rules my life and then, like “the yips” that affects (UFFF!) golfers, field-goal kickers and presumably the creators of grammar rules, the confusion mysteriously disappears and leaves me alone for months at a time. When it returns to torture me, it is In those wretched affected moments (GGAAAHHH!) I am convinced I’m the only writer on earth who can’t keep this straight and all the brilliant mnemonic devices are useless to me. Then I think–WAIT!–the internet is constantly offering fixes for this and clearly I’m just an average English-speaking human with issues concerning the many ridiculous, often contradictory rules in effect within the language and the random, over-inflated consequences that attach to some of them, some of the time.

    And yet, I understand and need the E or the A to make my meaning clear and so I struggle on.

    • I’m sure countless writers share your pain, Mitchell. It affects me with such an effect that I don’t know how to express it in words. 😉

      By the way, I love the URL of your blog.

      Stay safe!

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