Language Center Program, Writing Tips
Volunteer State Community College | Division of Humanities
In most situations, "affect" is a verb and "effect" is a noun. "Affect" usually means "to influence." "Effect" usually means "result." Sometimes, "effect" is used as a verb meaning "to bring about." When you are trying to determine if you have used the correct word, you might find it helpful to replace "affect" with "to influence" and "effect" with "result" or "to bring about." For a more complete discussion of the use of these two words, consult a grammar handbook or Purdue University's OWL.
