October 16, 2012
Alison Dotson
Thanks for visiting Copy Editor’s Corner! Every month, we’ll get to the bottom of a common copyediting conundrum. In this inaugural post we’ll address the homophones
affect and
effect.
Let’s start with the two meanings we encounter most often. The following sentences are examples of proper usage:
"A candidate’s debate performance can
affect the outcome of an election."
"Amanda’s exercise routine had a salutary
effect on her health."
But this next sentence is correct, too. It introduces the word
effect as a verb, which means “to bring about.”
Jamie wants a president who will
effect change, but she doesn’t know what
effect each candidate's proposed policies will have on her life.
(Of course, we don’t recommend using
effect twice in the same sentence.)
Finally,
affect can be used as a noun, but such usage is rare. Why? Because it is a term used in psychology to describe a person’s mood or emotions. For example, a psychiatrist might describe a patient’s
affect as irritable or flat.
Mastering the many meanings of
effect and
affect will most certainly have a positive effect on your affect.
