Confusable pair · B1
Affect or effect?
Affect is almost always the verb: the delay affected our plans. Effect is almost always the noun: the delay had an effect on our plans. If you can put "the" or "an" in front of it, you want effect. If it is something being done to something else, you want affect. The rare exception is effect as a verb meaning to bring about, as in effect change.
Which word, and why
- affect
verb: to influence something
To have an influence on someone or something.
affect the results · deeply affected · affect his health
- effect
noun: the result of an influence
A change produced by a cause; as a formal verb, to bring something about.
have an effect on · side effects · effect a change
Now use it
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The strike will every service on the east coast line.