[kimmydawn]

Affect and effect get me almost every time.

Even though I read, and re-read, the meanings to use them appropriately, I still just can't get it!

It really effects (or is that affects) my writing and drives me nuttier!

Can anyone help? Is there some rule of thumb that will make sense to me that I can hang onto and use?

Does anyone have similar problems with words? Let's figure it out.

KD

[314159pi]

there used to be a book that i would consult for those kind of problems all the time. in america it's called "fowler's modern english usage" and in britain it's called "the queen's english." i guess web look-up sites have probably destroyed the business ecology of reference books with all these simple web look-ups. although i do believe professional writers still consult style manuals like the "chicago manual of style."
the one i could never figure out was why americans write "a hotel" and britons write "an hotel." the answer is that britons don't pronounce the letter "h" in hotel and whenever the leading h in an english word from french is silent, one uses "an" instead of "a." as in "an herbal remedy."
i hope i haven't bored you to death dearie!
regarding "effect," it's the opposite of "cause." and "affect" is how you feel in the morning before you take your meds.
ta ta,
pi

[multipixie9]

KimmyDawn,

We all have words that mess with our minds. The ones you mention are not the ones that get me. For some reason I can't remember when to use an apostrophe after i t s. When is it proper...sigh. It goofs me up and makes me stop short when I'm typing and grr. I hate that.

Mine seem to be more about spelling than about usage. I was an English major in college - for what it was worth since I did not finish.

If it isn't one thing, it's another....hope I was correct in putting the apostrophe...sigh....=)

Leslie

[splitimage]

It's vs its still manages to screw me up a fair bit when I'm writing. The other word trio I have problems with when writing are their, there, and they're. I absolutely know all their different meanings, but when I type - for some reason this knowledge completely leaves my head and I make silly mistakes. It's no wonder English is a hard language to learn for non-English speakers

--splitimage

[thelostone]

biggest problem i have is to and too. at least two is pretty obvious.

lost

I goof up all the time
I have some Dyslexia
sometimes words can get just lost.
Sometimes only for a few minutes
Sometimes longer.
My spelling can be a huge issue
and using the correct word
as threw or through
Which by the way spell check can not pick up if you have spelled the in correct version of the word.

depending on my stress leval and how tired I am thats when It shows

[bebop]

ok I am a google person lol. here is what I found that might help you with this delimma.

Affect vs Effect
The English words affect and effect are often confused by native speakers - don't let their mistakes affect your English.

Affect

Affect is a verb with several different meanings.

1. To have an influence on, contribute to a change in

What you do affects all of us

This decision will affect the outcome of the elections

Inflation is affected by natural disasters

2. To touch, move; to act on the emotions of

I was profoundly affected by this movie

His actions were not affected by her pleas

3. To simulate

He likes to affect a British accent

She always affected her eccentricity

In psychology, affect is a noun which refers to a "feeling" or "emotion":

Your son's lack of affect explains why you find it difficult to gauge his moods.

Effect

Effect is most commonly used as a noun, and has three meanings.

1. Result, something brought about by someone or something

What was the effect of her decision?

Side effects include nausea and fatigue

I don't think it will have any effect on the outcome

The law will go into effect tomorrow

You can clearly see the cause and effect

2. Something that gives the impression/sense of something else

The special effects were amazing

Mirrors will give the effect of a larger space

He said that just for effect

3. Effects can refer to belongings

Did you bring any personal effects?

As a verb, to effect means "to bring about, lead to a result"

The only way to effect change is to participate

What is the best way to effect these improvements?

This should effect a whole new way of thinking about it

The Bottom Line

The confusion between affect and effect comes out of the fact that affecting something leads to an effect. The two questions "How were you affected?" and "What was the effect on you?" mean almost exactly the same thing.

When you want to use one of these words as a noun, the one you want is probably effect. When you want a verb, most of the time you want affect. Effect is used as a verb only when it has a direct object and only when you mean "to bring about, lead to."

The difference between to affect and to effect can be seen here:

To affect the results - To influence, have an impact on the results

To effect the results - To bring about, lead to the (desired) results

[pachyderm]

To effect blurple means to make blurple happen.

To affect blurple would mean to do something to blurple.

Okay i have one.

It's means It Is, right? So when being possessive, wouldn't one write Its' as in it owns?

Or would it be just its? I always thought that it was an apostrophe afterward.

Confused with all this itting

[pachyderm]

The possessive of it is its. It cannot be it's because that is already used as a contraction for "it is".

Do not expect English to be logical.

-- The grammar curmudgeon --

[lenjan]

You guys are making my head hurt.

I heartily recommend this book, in whatever edition it's in now. I have the first, just for nostalgia's sake, and the 4th, which is dogeared, underlined and highlighted to heck and back. I also used it when I was teaching. My students loved it.

-- grammar curmudgeon 2 --

Edited to add that I recommend it because it has a large section in the back that deals with just these sorts of usage questions and gives very clear explanations. You don't have to be a J-student to use it.

[kimmydawn]

WOWOWOWOW!!!

Thanks for understanding, guys! Thanks for adding your difficulties as well so I feel better.

Isn't it wild?

For instance, I do well with forming sentences, spelling, writing letters, etc. I would be forever correcting letters that others wrote. I just can't get this one...affect/effect.

As much as y'all tried, it still reads like Latin would to me. I can't comprehend what you're saying about it for some reason. It's like the explanations have no "landing" spot in my brain.

I still would like to fnd some understanding with it but I'm beginning to feel that it's impossible for me.

Thanks so much,

KD

[pachyderm]

Part of the problem is that both effect and affect are used as nouns and verbs.

Effect (n) = something that has happened

Effect (v) = to make something happen

Affect (n) = emotional state presented

Affect (v) = to make a change to something

[sabby]

I wonder if this might help -

Many people are affected by the effects of the moon's gravitational pull.


sabby

[pachyderm]

> Many people are affected by the effects of the moon's gravitational pull.

Especially around full moon...

[kimmydawn]

wow, guys.

thanks so much for sharing. i'm glad i'm not alone, even if it's not the same set of words.

i appreciate so much those of you who have tried to help me with this, but i'm a lost cause. it's as if i'm reading latin or something. i just don't get it. it doesn't hit home anywhere in this brain!

the meanings sound almost alike no matter how it's presented to me.

thanks so much, and if there's more that i'm missing, please help. this is really driving me nuts and i need to use these words appropriately.

KD

[sabby]

Ok, here's another try with affect/effect.

If you know nouns and verbs this might be helpful -

The majority of the time you use affect with an a as a verb and effect with an e as a noun.

As in, the affect (action verb) of the moon will effect (noun) the population.

The affect being the action of the moon and the effect being the result on the population.

Hope this helps a bit (((((((((((((( KD ))))))))))))))


sabby

[sunrise]

I see the words loose and lose mixed up all the time. Lose is a verb as in "I hate to lose at backgammon," or "I always lose my keys." Loose is an adjective, "that loose woman drives me crazy," or "my pants are loose." I see loose used instead of lose a lot, but not so much vice versa.

[pachyderm]

Loose can be a verb too. I loose the dogs upon you...

[kimmydawn]

Oh, Jean, you're onto something!!! That's hitting somewhere with me..the noun/verb aspect of the usage.

Can you, or anyone, go on more in that way?

Thank you!!! It's hitting home somewhere!

KD

this thread makes my dyslexia go crazy

[Troy]

BeBop has it right! ... Musta ben a english techer...

[sabby]

I get confusilated in trying to explain it....(((((((((( bebop ))))))))))))) I had read exactly what you posted regarding the noun/verb etc....and got way too confused in reading it. I had it straight in my mind then read that and went...whoaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa LOL

Let's see if I can come up with another one for ya KD -

Ok...will try to keep this a simple as I can, which shouldn't be too hard for this simple mind

The affect (action) of the medication may cause drowsiness.

I have felt the effect (noun) of the medication and it made me drowsy.

Phewww....I think that's right

the sound EFFECTS AFFECTED us all ...... is how you could think of it maybe?

my hubbys idea ..... Jin

[314159pi]

affect (noun) has to do with feelings. derived word affection. affectation (pretending). schizo-affective disorder. a doctor might write about your affect in his notes.
affect (verb) has to do with change of state or mood. "he affects the way i feel when he opens car doors for me." you can't use affect about an inanimate object because it has no feelings.

effect (noun) the opposite of cause. an end-result. some thing that produces a desired result is effective. "the effect of gamma rays on man-in-the-moon marigolds."
effect (verb) produces a result. "obama's speech excites people and therefore effects voter turnout."
effectuate-produce a specific result.
i hope i haven't bored you to death, kimmy. that would effect your health. and change your affect.
-pi