Grammar Lesson
Hello kiddies! Time for today's grammar lesson, brought to you by an error on MSNBC's homepage.
Today's lesson is about the difference between affect and effect. Both affect and effect can be used as nouns or as verbs. We more typically see affect used as a verb, and effect used as a noun, but this does not always have to be the case.
As a verb, affect means to produce an effect upon -- that is, to produce a change or alteration in
As a noun, affect means the visible manifestation of an emotion
Affect may also be used in the verb form as "to manifest an emotion".
As a noun, effect means something that follows an antecedent (e.g. cause and effect)
As a verb, effect means to bring about something
In the following MSNBC example, the word "effect" is misused, to the degradation of the Obama white house:
"The president is ramping up his stimulus program even as his advisors are ramping down expectations about when the spending plan will effect a continuing rise in the nation's unemployment."
The above statement says that the advisors are ramping down expectations about the spending plan bringing about a continuing rise in the nation's unemployment.
The stimulus plan, presumably, is supposed to decrease unemployment, not bring about a continuing rise in it. Therefore, the spending plan should affect (i.e. change) a continuing rise in the nation's unemployment, not effect it.
Essentially: Affect, as a verb = change; Effect, as a verb = cause. Effect, as a noun = result. Affect, as a noun = emotional display.
There it is folks. I'm surprised this one got past MSNBC's editor, but I guess the finer points of grammar can escape us all at times.
Today's lesson is about the difference between affect and effect. Both affect and effect can be used as nouns or as verbs. We more typically see affect used as a verb, and effect used as a noun, but this does not always have to be the case.
As a verb, affect means to produce an effect upon -- that is, to produce a change or alteration in
As a noun, affect means the visible manifestation of an emotion
Affect may also be used in the verb form as "to manifest an emotion".
As a noun, effect means something that follows an antecedent (e.g. cause and effect)
As a verb, effect means to bring about something
In the following MSNBC example, the word "effect" is misused, to the degradation of the Obama white house:
"The president is ramping up his stimulus program even as his advisors are ramping down expectations about when the spending plan will effect a continuing rise in the nation's unemployment."
The above statement says that the advisors are ramping down expectations about the spending plan bringing about a continuing rise in the nation's unemployment.
The stimulus plan, presumably, is supposed to decrease unemployment, not bring about a continuing rise in it. Therefore, the spending plan should affect (i.e. change) a continuing rise in the nation's unemployment, not effect it.
Essentially: Affect, as a verb = change; Effect, as a verb = cause. Effect, as a noun = result. Affect, as a noun = emotional display.
There it is folks. I'm surprised this one got past MSNBC's editor, but I guess the finer points of grammar can escape us all at times.