Affect is a verb.

• The bad weather affected my health.
• The increase in the price of oil affected the price of essential commodities.
• The frost affected the harvest.
• His illness affected his performance.

Affect can also mean ‘make a pretence of’.

• She is from Sydney but she affects a British accent.

Effect is a noun.

• The bad weather had an adverse effect on my health.
• Oil price had an effect on the price of essential commodities.
• The frost had an adverse effect on the harvest.
• His illness had a negative effect on his performance.

The plural noun ‘effects’ can mean personal property or possessions.

• Before moving to Hyderabad, the family sold as many of their effects as possible.

Affect or effect | Grammar Worksheet

Fill in the blanks with affect or effect.

1. The rain will …………………….. our plans for a picnic. (affect / effect)

2. The speech deeply ……………………… the audience. (affected / effected)

3. The girl’s tears ………………………… him deeply. (affected / effected)

4. Her tears ………………………. the desired results – her parents forgave her. (effected / affected)

5. The farmers felt the …………………………. of the drought for years. (effect / affect)

6. His plea for clemency had no ……………………………. on the judge. (effect / affect)

7. The law went into ……………………… last week. (effect / affect)

8. In …………………….., her insult meant the end of our friendship. (effect / affect)

Answers

1. The rain will affect our plans for a picnic.

2. The speech deeply affected the audience.

3. The girl’s tears affected him deeply.

4. Her tears effected the desired results – her parents forgave her. (Effected can mean produced)

5. The farmers felt the effect of the drought for years.

6. His plea for clemency had no effect on the judge.

7. The law went into effect last week.

8. In effect, her insult meant the end of our friendship.