Which option correctly distinguishes 'Affect' as a verb versus 'Effect' as a noun?

Which option correctly distinguishes 'Affect' as a verb versus 'Effect' as a noun?

• A. Affect is a noun, Effect is a verb
• B. Affect is a noun, Effect is a noun
• C. Affect is a verb, Effect is a noun
• D. Both are verbs

Answer: (C)

A common distinction to know here is how these two words function in everyday language: affect is the action, and effect is the result. So affect as a verb means to influence or produce a change. For example, “The weather affected the game,” where affect shows the action happening to the game. Effect as a noun names what happens—the result of a change. For instance, “The effect of the rain was a delayed game,” where effect is the outcome. There are a couple of rare exceptions you might see in more specialized writing: to effect something means to bring it about (using effect as a verb), and affect can be a noun in psychology to describe a person’s emotional state. But in standard usage, the rule above—affect as a verb, effect as a noun—is the best guidance.

A common distinction to know here is how these two words function in everyday language: affect is the action, and effect is the result. So affect as a verb means to influence or produce a change. For example, “The weather affected the game,” where affect shows the action happening to the game. Effect as a noun names what happens—the result of a change. For instance, “The effect of the rain was a delayed game,” where effect is the outcome.

There are a couple of rare exceptions you might see in more specialized writing: to effect something means to bring it about (using effect as a verb), and affect can be a noun in psychology to describe a person’s emotional state. But in standard usage, the rule above—affect as a verb, effect as a noun—is the best guidance.