Diplomatic Security Special Agent (DSSAT) Practice Exam

Which statement correctly distinguishes 'affect' and 'effect'?

'Affect' is a verb (to influence); 'effect' is a noun (the result). 'Affect' is a noun; 'effect' is a verb. Both are nouns. Both are verbs.

Correct Answer:

'Affect' is a verb (to influence); 'effect' is a noun (the result).

Explanation:

The distinction being tested is that affect is a verb meaning to influence, while effect is a noun meaning the result. In normal usage you talk about something that influences something else with affect: The weather affected the schedule. Then you refer to what happened as a result with effect: The effect of the weather on the schedule was a delay. There is also a rare verb sense of to effect, meaning to bring about, as in to effect a change, but that is more formal and not the everyday usage this question targets. There is a rare noun use of affect in psychology to describe emotion, but that isn’t the standard distinction taught for everyday writing. So the statement that affect is a verb and effect is a noun best captures how these two are normally distinguished.

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