The UVic Writer's Guide

Affect / Effect

Affect can only be used as a verb, while effect is normally a noun. To affect something is to bring about an effect. The words are not interchangeable.

However, just to complicate things, effect may also be used as a verb meaning "to bring about" or "to accomplish": "The drug effected a change in his personality."

Dictionary of Usage
Table of Contents
Start Over
Index