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Affect vs. Effect

/əˈfekt/ (affect, verb), /ˈiːfekt/ (effect, noun)

EN

A pair of commonly confused English words: 1. *Affect* (most often a verb) means to produce a change in or influence something/someone; 2. *Effect* (most often a noun) refers to a result or consequence of an action or other cause, and can also act as a verb meaning to bring about a change.

1. The cold weather affected our outdoor picnic plans. 2. The main effect of the storm was downed power lines.

1. 寒冷的天气影响了我们的户外野餐计划。 2. 这场风暴的主要后果是电力线路被吹断。

Etymology

Both words derive from the Latin verb *afficere*, meaning 'to do something to, influence'. *Affect* entered English in the 16th century as a verb, while *effect* came from the Latin past participle *effectus* and first appeared as a noun in the 14th century.

Memory Aid

Use the acronym **RAVEN**: *R*esult = *E*ffect, *A*ction = *A*ffect. Or remember: 'A' stands for Action (verb), 'E' stands for End result (noun).

Collocations

affect moodeffect changeside effectaffect performance

Synonyms

influenceimpactoutcomeresult

Antonyms

ignoreneglectcausecreate

Related Words

affectioneffectiveafflictedeffective

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