|
Somewhere or other I came across the following advice that I found helpful:
First work out whether you are using a noun or a verb.
Noun: You almost always want an effect. (The noun "affect" is a technical term in psychology etc.)
Verb: You most often want to be affected (acted on, influenced) by something, or you might affect (pretend) understanding. The verb "effect" means to accomplish or make happen and often sounds formal (like an affectation): he effected the repairs quickly. You might imagine Jean-Luc Picard replacing "Make it so!" with "Effect It!".
Or in snappier, albeit tautological, terms: he was affected by the effect.
|