Affect or effect

mr ploppy · 07-20-2011, 07:53 AM

I hate those words. Which one should it be in this? I want to go down in history for producing the first ever ebook without any mistakes in it.

He stood at the bar waiting to be served, wishing he had brought some paper money so that he could wave it at the barman like a flag to attract his attention. Tapping coins on the wooden bar didn’t really have the same (effect / affect) on bar staff, they knew there was no chance of a tip.

GeoffC · 07-20-2011, 08:19 AM

effect ....

Anke Wehner · 07-20-2011, 08:20 AM

effect

Rule of the thumb: If it's a noun, use "effect" - the noun "affect" is psychology jargon with a completely different meaning.

If it's a verb:
"effect" if it means "cause"
"affect" if it means "influence".

mr ploppy · 07-20-2011, 08:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anke Wehner

effect

If it's a verb:
"effect" if it means "cause"
"affect" if it means "influence".

Both "cause" and "influence" would fit within the context of that sentence

Coins caused the barman to notice him, Coins influenced the barman's decision to serve him.

Anke Wehner · 07-20-2011, 10:44 AM

*heh* Misunderstanding central. I wasn't talking about your sentence, but the words affect and effect if used as VERBS, and "if it means 'influence'" as "if you could replace the word with 'influence' in your sentence and get pretty much the same meaning".

"We are trying to effect a change"-> "We are trying to cause a change"
"The conversation affected her opinion" -> "The conversation influenced her opinion"

Tapping coins did not affect the bartender's behaviour.
Tapping coins did not effect quick serving.

Better?

James_Wilde · 07-20-2011, 10:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mr ploppy

Both "cause" and "influence" would fit within the context of that sentence

Coins caused the barman to notice him, Coins influenced the barman's decision to serve him.

He said if it's a verb... And in your quoted examples caused and influenced are verbs.

In the case of 'the same effect', effect is a noun. You could say 'the green effect' or 'the hot effect', that is you can use an adjective with a noun.

With a verb you can't say 'this will green affect you' or 'this will green effect your required result'.

Actually effect as a verb is rare enough that you can probably get by 99% of the time by saying use 'effect' if it's a noun and 'affect' if it's a verb. You'll probably feel more comfortable with something other than effect as a verb in the 1% of cases anyway.

Anke Wehner · 07-20-2011, 04:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by James_Wilde

Actually effect as a verb is rare enough that you can probably get by 99% of the time by saying use 'effect' if it's a noun and 'affect' if it's a verb. You'll probably feel more comfortable with something other than effect as a verb in the 1% of cases anyway.

Oh, good point.
I think if it's used, it's mostly in the phrase "effect a change".

07-20-2011, 07:53 AM	#1
mr ploppy Feral Underclass Posts: 3,622 Karma: 26821535 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Yorkshire, tha noz Device: 2nd hand paperback	Affect or effect I hate those words. Which one should it be in this? I want to go down in history for producing the first ever ebook without any mistakes in it. He stood at the bar waiting to be served, wishing he had brought some paper money so that he could wave it at the barman like a flag to attract his attention. Tapping coins on the wooden bar didn’t really have the same (effect / affect) on bar staff, they knew there was no chance of a tip.

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07-20-2011, 08:19 AM	#2
GeoffC Chocolate Grasshopper ... Posts: 27,600 Karma: 20821184 Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Scotland Device: Muse HD , Cybook Gen3 , Pocketbook 302 (Black) , Nexus 10: wife has PW	effect ....

07-20-2011, 08:20 AM	#3
Anke Wehner Addict Posts: 249 Karma: 177956 Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Germany Device: PRS-650	effect Rule of the thumb: If it's a noun, use "effect" - the noun "affect" is psychology jargon with a completely different meaning. If it's a verb: "effect" if it means "cause" "affect" if it means "influence".

07-20-2011, 10:44 AM	#5
Anke Wehner Addict Posts: 249 Karma: 177956 Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Germany Device: PRS-650	heh Misunderstanding central. I wasn't talking about your sentence, but the words affect and effect if used as VERBS, and "if it means 'influence'" as "if you could replace the word with 'influence' in your sentence and get pretty much the same meaning". "We are trying to effect a change"-> "We are trying to cause a change" "The conversation affected her opinion" -> "The conversation influenced her opinion" Tapping coins did not affect the bartender's behaviour. Tapping coins did not effect quick serving. Better?

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