Affect/Effect Think 'A' ... or 'E'

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Affect/Effect
5 F, F+ d1 [0 V' X8 T' NThink 'A' ... or 'E'
8 w* R% N5 @" ^By Evan Jenkins
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Mark Stevens, director of public information for the Denver Public Schools, e-mailed to ask about a fairly widespread mental block: "I could use a neat way to remember the correct use for 'affect' and 'effect.' " Here's an attempt at a mnemonic formula to help keep them separate.
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5 B# F- n8 M) t6 ~( z"Affect," except for the specialists mentioned below, is a verb, meaning to cause change in something. "His headache affected his ability to concentrate." Verbs are words of action. So think "A" — Affect, Action — something is Acting on something else.

& i' M$ n( V3 C: r4 K' Z7 x8 a' f"Effect" is usually a noun, a word for a thing, in this case a result of something.

8 M; ^( `$ b2 K"Aspirin had the desired effect, and he aced the exam." Think "E" for End Product.

6 X; G: O' l  H. kSo much for the most common situations.

7 |! m' G3 X# F1 C: S% F7 ^# q9 GA less common (but useful) form of "effect" is a verb meaning to bring about or cause to happen. "She effected a revolution with her challenge to the grading system."
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$ E/ ?$ }! I( {/ a5 `A nuanced (and useful) form of "affect" is a verb meaning to move, emotionally, as in "The scene affected her greatly" or "It was a profoundly affecting moment."
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5 L) D9 r# s7 y& X" sAnd in the social sciences, alas, "affect" can be a noun, meaning a feeling or emotion as shown or described by a patient. But we can leave that one to the social scientists.
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Addendum, 3/9/99
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0 D7 T2 U% i% HRosalind Warfield-Brown, who teaches at Hampden-Sydney College in Virginia and works as a freelance editor, has a word she uses to help people get around that mental block — VANE. That's Verb=Affect / Noun=Effect. Seems foolproof for the two basic meanings.