AEE - Affect vs. Effect? Avoid This Native Speaker Mistake

Summary

In this engaging transcript, Lindsay and Aubrey tackle the common English language conundrum of when to use 'effect' as a verb and 'affect' as a noun. They clarify that 'affect' with an 'A' is used as a verb, meaning to influence something, while 'effect' with an 'E' is a noun, referring to the result or change brought about. The hosts use a mnemonic device, 'A is for Action, E is for end result,' to help listeners remember the distinction. They also delve into less common uses of the words, such as 'affect' in a psychological context, where it refers to emotional expression, and 'effect' as a rare verb meaning to bring about change. The conversation is peppered with examples and reassurances that even native speakers sometimes need to pause and consider which word to use. The hosts emphasize that in spoken English, the words often sound the same, so there's no need to stress over their use in conversation.

Takeaways

• 📝 The difference between 'effect' with an 'a' and 'effect' with an 'e' is primarily that the former is used as a verb and the latter as a noun.
• 🧐 Native speakers, including English teachers, sometimes need to pause and consider which form to use when writing.
• 📚 A mnemonic to remember is 'A is for Action' (verb) and 'E is for End Result' (noun).
• 🗣️ In spoken English, especially in American English, 'effect' and 'affect' often sound the same, so pronunciation is not a reliable indicator of the correct form to use.
• 🇺🇸 The focus of the discussion is on American English, although variations may exist in other English-speaking countries.
• 👂 The pronunciation of 'affect' can change when it is used as a noun in a psychological context, often pronounced as 'ay-fect'.
• 📖 'Affect' with an 'a' can also be a noun in a psychological context, referring to emotional expression, and is usually pronounced as 'ay-fect'.
• ⚠️ 'Effect' with an 'e' can occasionally be used as a verb meaning 'to bring about' or 'to cause', often in more formal or elevated speech.
• 🔍 The context of the sentence can help determine whether 'effect' is being used as a verb or a noun, especially when the pronunciation is the same.
• 📝 In most everyday conversations, the simpler forms 'cause' or 'create change' are more commonly used instead of the formal 'effect change'.
• 💡 The hosts reassure the listeners that it's okay to make mistakes and that even native speakers sometimes need to think about which word to use.

Q & A

What is the main topic of discussion in the transcript?

The main topic of discussion in the transcript is the difference between the words 'effect' and 'affect' and how to use them correctly in English.

What is the general rule for using 'effect' and 'affect'?

The general rule is that 'effect' with an 'a' is used as a verb, indicating an action, while 'effect' with an 'e' is used as a noun, indicating an end result or consequence.

What is a common issue that even educated speakers face with these words?

Even educated speakers, including English teachers with master's degrees, sometimes have to stop and think about whether they are using 'effect' and 'affect' correctly because when spoken, they often sound the same.

What is a mnemonic device that can help remember the difference between 'effect' and 'affect'?

A mnemonic device is 'A is for Action', which helps remember that 'affect' starts with an 'A' and is a verb, and 'E is for end result', which helps remember that 'effect' with an 'E' is a noun, indicating the end result.

How do the speakers suggest one should approach writing emails when unsure of the correct usage of 'effect' or 'affect'?

The speakers suggest writing the email first without stressing too much about the correct usage. They emphasize the importance of communication and suggest that one can always go back and check which word to use later.

What are the exceptions to the general rule for using 'affect' and 'effect'?

The exceptions are that 'affect' can also be a noun when used in a psychological context to refer to facial expressions, gestures, postures, and vocal intonations associated with an emotion. 'Effect' can also be a verb meaning to cause something to happen, often used in the phrase 'to effect change'.

What does 'flat affect' mean in a psychological context?

'Flat affect' in a psychological context means that an individual is expressing no emotion, which might be indicative of certain conditions that a psychologist or psychiatrist would evaluate.

How do the pronunciations differ for 'affect' and 'effect' in their various uses?

In general, 'affect' and 'effect' sound the same when used as a verb or noun in regular conversation. However, 'affect' as a noun in a psychological context is pronounced differently, typically as /əˈfekt/, to distinguish it from its verb form.

What advice do the speakers give for non-native speakers who might be confused by the use of 'effect' and 'affect'?

The speakers advise non-native speakers not to worry too much about the distinction in spoken English since the words often sound the same when spoken. They also suggest using the mnemonic 'A is for Action, E is for end result' to help remember the correct usage in writing.

Can you provide an example sentence using 'affect' as a verb and 'effect' as a noun?

Yes, an example sentence could be: 'The new policy will affect the community and have a long-term effect on the environment.' Here, 'affect' is used as a verb to indicate the action of the policy on the community, and 'effect' is used as a noun to describe the consequence on the environment.

What is the significance of the phrase 'effect change' in the context of using 'effect' as a verb?

The phrase 'effect change' is significant because it is a clue that 'effect' is being used as a verb meaning to cause something to happen. This usage is less common and can be tricky to identify, but the presence of 'change' after 'effect' is a clear indicator.

Outlines

00:00

😀 Understanding the Difference Between 'Effect' and 'Affect'

The first paragraph introduces the topic of the video, which is the common confusion between the words 'effect' and 'affect'. The speakers, Lindsay and Aubrey, discuss how even highly educated individuals sometimes need to pause and think about which word to use. They mention receiving a listener's question about the difference and express excitement to address it. The paragraph emphasizes the challenge of distinguishing between the two words, especially in spoken English, and sets the stage for a detailed explanation.

05:04

📚 'Effect' as a Verb and Noun: Clarifying Usage

In the second paragraph, the hosts clarify the primary use of 'effect' and 'affect'. They explain that 'effect' with an 'a' is predominantly used as a verb, meaning to bring about a change or to influence something. Conversely, 'effect' with an 'e' is a noun, referring to the result or consequence of an action. The paragraph also introduces a mnemonic device: 'A is for Action' to remember that 'affect' as a verb starts with an 'a', and 'E is for end result' to recall that 'effect' as a noun starts with an 'e'. The speakers provide examples to illustrate the use of 'affect' as a verb and 'effect' as a noun in sentences.

10:08

🤔 Exceptions to the Rule: Less Common Uses

The third paragraph delves into the less common uses of 'affect' and 'effect'. It points out that while the primary uses are straightforward, there are exceptions that can lead to confusion. 'Affect' can sometimes be a noun in a psychological context, referring to emotional expressions, and is usually pronounced as 'effect'. 'Effect', on the other hand, can be a verb meaning to bring about a change, but this usage is rare and often sounds the same as the noun form. The paragraph highlights the importance of context and pronunciation in understanding these exceptions.

15:13

🗣️ Application in Conversation: Roleplay and Takeaway

The final paragraph demonstrates how the words 'affect' and 'effect' can be naturally used in a conversation. A roleplay scenario is presented where the speakers discuss their friend Marie, using all four forms of the words to illustrate their meanings. The paragraph ends with a takeaway message, emphasizing that in spoken English, the two words often sound the same, and the primary concern should be whether the word is being used as a verb (action) or a noun (end result). The hosts reassure listeners that even native speakers sometimes need to think about the correct usage, and they encourage not to stress over it.

Keywords

💡Effect

In the context of the video, 'effect' is used to denote a noun that refers to a result or consequence of an action or event. It is spelled with an 'e' and is central to the discussion on the correct usage of 'effect' and 'affect'. An example from the script is 'this music has a profound effect on my mood', indicating the change in mood as a result of the music.

💡Affect

'Affect' is primarily a verb in the video's context, spelled with an 'a', and it means to influence or produce a change in something. It is one of the two key terms being discussed, with an emphasis on its correct usage. For instance, the script mentions 'the dry air affects my skin', showing the action of the dry air influencing the condition of the skin.

💡Pronunciation

Pronunciation is the way in which a word or language is spoken. In the video, it is noted that 'effect' and 'affect' often sound the same when spoken, which can lead to confusion in written form. However, in psychological contexts, 'affect' when used as a noun is pronounced differently, helping to distinguish its meaning.

💡Psychological Affect

This term refers to the facial expressions, gestures, postures, and vocal intonations that are associated with an emotion, used primarily in a clinical or psychological context. In the script, it is mentioned that a psychologist might assess 'affect' to evaluate a patient's emotional state, with 'flat affect' indicating no emotional expression.

💡Master's Degrees

The mention of master's degrees in the video highlights the speakers' educational background and their authority on the subject of English language usage. It also humorously points out that even those with advanced education sometimes need to think about the correct usage of 'effect' and 'affect'.

💡

💡American English

The video focuses on American English, which is the primary dialect being discussed for the usage of 'effect' and 'affect'. The speakers clarify that while they cover other English dialects occasionally, their main focus is on American English usage, which is relevant for most of their audience.

💡Pneumonic Device

A pneumonic device is a memory aid used to help remember complex information. In the video, 'A is for Action' and 'E is for end result' serve as pneumonic devices to help remember that 'affect' with an 'a' is a verb and 'effect' with an 'e' is a noun. This tool is used to simplify the distinction between the two words for the audience.

💡Verb

A verb is a word used to describe an action, state, or occurrence. In the context of the video, 'affect' is identified as a verb when spelled with an 'a', as it denotes the action of influencing something. The script provides examples such as 'affecting my skin' and 'affect change', which are actions.

💡Noun

A noun is a word that represents a person, place, thing, or idea. 'Effect' is a noun when spelled with an 'e', representing the result or consequence of an action. The video emphasizes that understanding whether 'effect' is being used as a noun or a verb is key to using it correctly, with examples like 'the effects of the medication'.

💡Roleplay

Roleplay is a method of teaching or explaining a concept by acting out a scenario. In the video, a roleplay scenario is used to demonstrate the correct usage of 'effect' and 'affect' in conversation. It helps the audience see how the words can naturally be incorporated into dialogue, reinforcing their understanding.

Highlights

The difference between 'effect' with an 'a' and 'effect' with an 'e' is primarily based on whether it is used as a verb or a noun.

For 99% of instances, 'effect' with an 'a' is used as a verb, meaning to bring about a change or influence.

'Effect' with an 'e' is generally a noun, referring to the result or consequence of an action.

A mnemonic to remember the difference is 'A is for Action' and 'E is for end result'.

In spoken English, 'effect' and 'affect' often sound the same, so pronunciation is not a reliable indicator of the correct usage.

The word 'affect' can also be a noun in a psychological context, referring to emotional expressions.

When 'affect' is a noun, it is usually pronounced differently, helping to distinguish it from the verb form.

The word 'effect' can occasionally be used as a verb meaning to bring about or cause something to happen, but this usage is less common.

In most everyday conversations, 'effect' and 'affect' can be used interchangeably without changing the meaning.

The hosts of the podcast, despite having master's degrees, still find themselves contemplating the correct usage of 'effect' and 'affect'.

The podcast provides examples to illustrate the use of 'effect' and 'affect', helping listeners understand the subtle differences.

The hosts suggest synonyms like 'create', 'cause', or 'drive' as alternatives to 'affect' or 'effect' in daily conversations.

The podcast emphasizes that the correct usage of 'effect' and 'affect' is more critical in written English than in spoken English.

The hosts reassure listeners that even native English speakers and teachers sometimes need to think about which word to use.

The podcast concludes with a roleplay scenario demonstrating the use of 'effect' and 'affect' in a conversation.

The hosts remind listeners that while the distinctions between 'effect' and 'affect' are important, the focus should be on clear communication.

The podcast provides a pro tip for remembering the usage: 'A is for Action, E is for end result'.

Transcripts

hello Lindsay how are you hello Aubrey I'm doing  great how are you what's going on excellent I  

have a question okay do you ever have trouble  knowing whether to write effect with an A or an  

e they sound the same I know oh it's a lifelong  struggle I know the difference right it's it's  

like i' i' I've thought about it many times I  know the difference but every time I go to write  

it it's the kind of thing I have to think am I  using this correctly um because it's a mistake  

that you don't want to make um it's definitely  a level of Education to know the difference for  

sure and that's what our listeners are going  to learn today yes but even you know both of  

us with master's degrees English teachers we  still have to sometimes stop and think about  

it because when we're speaking they sound exactly  the same we got a question about this today and  

I'm excited to dive in because likely a lot of  you out there listening have had this question  

maybe you've looked into it a little we're going  to really break it down and make it simple for  

you today a very common question here so guys go  ahead and hit the follow button on alers English  

if you haven't done that yet uh we do publish  now five days a week on this show and don't miss  

a single episode so hit follow all right awesome  if you want to read the question for us Lindsay  

it was just from H the letter H so what name was  yes H all right here we go okay I'm really amazed  

by your podcast and they're really helping me  improve I was wondering if you could explain  

the difference in how to use the word effect and  effect lots of love yes one written with an E  

effect and then effect with an a sometimes they do  sound a little different but for 99% of the times  

you will hear these words they sound exactly the  same so true no big deal for speaking right right  

you're not making a mistake they sound the same  right because when I was reading that question I  

thought to myself should I change my pronunciation  but I decided not to because we don't say you know  

side effects effect we say side effect they  sound the same when we're speaking maybe in  

other English speaking countries maybe in you know  the UK or New Zealand maybe they pronounce them  

a little differently but in the states yeah most  of the time they sound the same yeah this is what  

we're teaching you here guys American English  we do have guests on that uh teach us British  

English Aussie English but we focus here mostly  on American English all right okay yes so right  

at the top here we're going to share a pro tip  that for 99% of the instances see these used or  

when you will use them effect with an a is a verb  and effect with an e is a noun so that's really  

the only way to know that's why Lindsay you were  saying that sometimes you have to stop and think  

how am I using this in the sentence is it a verb  or a noun that's how you know how to write it yep  

exactly that's always the conversation that goes  through my head it's kind of annoying that we have  

to have that conversation in our heads over and  over again with these two words and there are a  

number of others different other words that are  hard to parse between them sometimes absolutely  

yes but there is a sort of a pneumonic device that  can help you remember which is which you say A is  

for Action so that's effect starts with an A this  is a verb it's an action and E is for end result  

the effect is spelled like effect but we usually  just say effect right you know it starts with an  

E if it's a noun if it's the end result oh that's  helpful I'm going to use that yes me too I saw a  

couple other there are a couple others ra where  but I was like this is the most simple I like  

this one A is for Action e is for end result okay  good to know then where else do we go from here  

Aubrey yeah so let's do a couple of examples  first of all we'll start with effect as a noun  

when it's written with an A so this means to have  an effect on with an e or to make a difference to  

something oh didn't we say it was a verb oh  you're right I wrote the wrong one there this

is with an a is verb let's give a couple of  sentences where you can see a with an a a verb  

so the dry air affects my skin and that is very  true in Colorado I'm sure it is for you Aubrey in  

Arizona absolutely my skin gets so dry I have to  use a lot of lotion and I'm really terrible i've  

admitted this here before about drinking enough  water so that also has you know that also affects  

how dry my skin is yes exactly or don't let what  she says affect you that's a highle sentence right  

there absolutely I say this to my children a  lot if they're sharing something that wasn't  

very kind that someone said you know don't let  what they say affect you you can choose how much  

this affects your mental state so you can see it's  an action here it's a verb something is affecting  

something else these words are affecting how you  feel yes I love it so again coming back to a for  

Action effect right exactly and then the second  one end result e for the end result it's a noun  

effect with an e and this is a change which  is a result or a consequence of an action or  

a cause this is why they're especially tricky as  they're really related you might see them both  

in the same sentence right um these are the the  effects created this effect yeah trick and you  

can sometimes see that for sure for example this  music has a profound effect on my mood so again  

end result noun right exactly so you see you know  the end result of this music being played is my  

mood changes so you see that it has an effect a  noun a thing yes or she felt the effects of the  

medication immediately right the effects we talked  about side effects at the top of the show so the  

results exactly right this medication had an end  result she's feeling it right maybe it's numbing  

some pain whatever this medication is doing this  reminds me of when I had a C-section and they  

give you a spinal block and I felt it immediately  like wow that was really fast effect wow okay all  

right Aubrey we're going to get into some tougher  stuff now I think we've made it really clear to  

our listeners the difference again just to remind  you guys effect with an a verb all right effect  

with an E noun okay exactly and then this is what  really makes these two words confusing keep in  

mind what we just talked about is 99% of the times  you'll use it or you'll hear it but these words do  

exist in other ways but they're used a little less  commonly but we want to share them because you do  

need to recognize that there are exceptions here  right so now that we've gone and made everything  

neat and tidy for our listeners we're going  to blow it all up it sounds like we're just G  

to reverse everything but we're going to show you  how rarely they're used and so then you'll be able  

to look for these contexts that are very special  these are special exceptions okay yes and the most  

helpful thing here is that though it's spelled the  same name the word affect with an a it can be a  

noun but it's almost always pronounced affect we  change the vowel so that helps a lot if you hear  

affect spelled the same but it has a different  meaning oh that's helpful that's helpful so the  

pronun so this is used in Psychology psychological  context to refer to facial expressions gestures  

postures vocal intonations that typically come  along with an emotion so maybe a psychologist  

would be evaluating someone for some for some  condition and if they're not showing affect they  

might be considered for certain conditions right  exactly right they they often will say flat affect  

he had a flat affect means they're expressing  no emotion at all you also might hear a cheery  

or a happy or a bright affect meaning they look  happy they seem to be you know having positive  

emotions yeah that makes sense so this is used  much more in the clinical sense right so it's  

interesting though because yesterday I heard this  used twice on a podcast because they were talking  

about someone and they started talking about  her affect they're like it's strange because  

her affect is diff it seems to be different when  she's around her friends and when she's around you  

know this guy she was dating actually is what  they were talking about so it it's interesting  

I'm like it's not always just psychologists using  this you will hear someone say affect but luckily  

it sounds different instead of affect right aect  so in that case guys we really need to listen for  

the pronunciation okay that's going to be your  clue and when it's written it's probably going  

to be paired with something their feeling their  mood yeah context exactly the context will help  

you know you might see she maintained a happy  affect in spite of feeling disappointed and so  

you know you can see it's not being used as  a verb in this sentence the context clearly  

we're talking about mood emotions you know  it's a noun it's this other meaning tricky  

okay all right so we'll put that in the exception  category in psychological clinical context now  

what's the second exception yes so this one's  about effect e effect which can be a verb that  

means to cause to cause something to happen  and this one's a little tricky sometimes the  

pronunciation won't change it still just sounds  like effect depending on someone's maybe accent  

or their Regional dialect but sometimes you will  hear it pronounced effect to effect change yeah  

to effect change to affect I think I would tend  to say effect same pronunciation I want to I've  

heard both but I think I do the same I want to  affect change in the world I don't think I would  

change the vow much yeah or studies show that the  advertisements are affecting change in the market  

are affecting change so they're causing change in  the market exactly this is the most difficult one  

luckily it's the most rare I don't see this it's  very impressive and professional to say it this  

way because you could just say cause for both of  these like I want to cause change I want to make  

a difference you know the these advertisements  are causing changes in the market but sometimes  

someone will choose to use this verb effect and  this is a little trickier because then you have  

to really think about wait usually effect as a  verb you know starts with an A here it's with  

an E this is the trickiest one to figure out  yeah I think focusing on the chunk effect or  

effect change is your key there exactly I agree  uh because I could also say studies show that the  

advertisements are affecting the market with the  a as the verb that we talking about the top of  

the show that's true and it really is collocated  almost always with effect change so that's going  

to be your marker a signpost if it says effect  change it means cause change and if change isn't  

there it should be written with an a right can  you think of any other CH ways that's chunked  

up affect in this exception not really right no  right show that advertisements are affecting no  

right you say like affecting no it's really just  affects change so that's a great Pro tip we kind  

of worked out as we're talking here we really just  ccate especially where it's used so rarely right  

that people aren't just throwing it in sentences  in Daily conversation they're using it to elevate  

their speech to elevate the way they're saying  something and it really is used specifically to  

talk about affecting change yeah most of the time  you're hearing daily conversation you're hearing  

what we showed you the neat and clear differences  at the beginning of the show right exactly and we  

would just say in regular daily conversation we  usually just say cause you're going to cause this  

going to cause change going to you know create  you always you can have a backup plan if you're  

not sure you can say create change cause change  impose change Drive change there's a lot we can do  

yes exactly right there are so many synonyms for  these words but this is fantastic because now you  

guys will know which one to use in a sentence and  when you hear them because I have a feeling you're  

going to start hearing them a lot they're very  common in English you'll have a better idea of  

like what is meant by the sentence all right good  stuff let's do a roleplay Aubrey now we can bring  

it all together okay yes I am telling you about  a recent meeting with our mutual friend in this  

roleplay I'll start us out okay Marie seems to be  doing really well she has the same bright affect  

she always did that's good to hear I haven't  seen her in ages unfortunately her move across  

the country really affected our friendship yeah  it had the same effect on us it's so difficult  

to stay in touch I've been impressed how she's  been able to affect change with her nonprofit I  

can't wait to chat with her about it awesome so  we used all four here you can see how it didn't  

even feel unnatural to use all of these they come  up very often in conversation the other two I sort  

of had to squeeze them in there I might say it a  different way in Daily conversation because like  

we said they're less common um there are lots of  other ways to say this but uh yeah let's go over  

them yeah so you said Marie seems to be doing  well she has the same bright affect and that's  

where we have that pronunciation change that she's  always she always did other things we could say  

could be she has the same bright personality  or she's just as cheerful yeah and I would  

be more likely to I don't often use affect in the  middle of a conversation would more be like she's  

just as chipper as she always was yeah it's more  likely like we said to be on a list of a clinical  

a clinical checklist for psychologist therapist  pissed or something not so much talking about our  

friends but we're just using that for an example  okay guys yeah yeah and it will come up I was so I  

was really surprised to hear on that podcast twice  I'm like okay this you know you will hear it yeah  

what did what did I say after that Aubrey and then  you said that's good to hear I haven't seen her in  

ages her move across the country really affected  our friendship so this is with an a because it's  

an action it's a verb her moving was an action  that affected our friendship love that and then  

you said yeah it have the same effect on us or  it had the same effect on us right so now talking  

about the noun right so the same effect on us  it's so difficult to stay in touch the results  

exactly the end result was the same we have fellen  fallen out of touch yes exact okay good and then  

the final one what did you say what did I say yeah  you said she's been able to affect change with her  

nonprofit this is where we're going to hear this  the most we're talking about someone who's really  

made a difference in the world if we're wanting to  say that in a little bit of you know more elevated  

way I might say she has been able to affect change  right and look at that we're coming back to that  

chunk that's where we're finding it is effect  change effect change so just look out for that  

and you'll be just fine guys all right absolutely  auy any takeaway today I'm so glad I can't believe  

we haven't covered this yet on the show and I'm  so glad we are today yes I know this has been  

really fun the good news is guys the most common  use of these words sound exactly the same so when  

it comes to spoken English when you speaking you  don't have to worry about it at all you're always  

going to be correct the only one that really  sounds different is affect which is used so  

rarely do not stress about it for sure so that's  the good news and also keep in mind that natives  

even for the first two examples where we made it  quite clear native speakers are still going back  

and forth in their minds when they're writing  emails even English teachers I know it's true  

my sister called me not long ago and she's like  explain to me effect and effect again I'm writing  

this email and I don't know if I'm using the right  through it she's a native English speaker yeah of  

course so don't worry about it again come back to  connection never break the connection while you're  

spending time trying to figure out which one to  write write that email get it out communicate ask  

for what you what you're looking for and just  go for it okay and remember our Pro tip which  

will really help right if you have to think for  just a second which one should I write a is for  

Action e is for end result and you're going to get  it right all right thanks for covering this with  

me today Aubrey this has been good I'm so awesome  thanks Lindy all right take care bye [Music] bye