Need Grammar Help

[Merkava_4]

I just now wrote this sentence in another thread:

Quote:
All you have to do is replace the alcohol with something that has the same affect or better.


This is what Google says:

Quote:
Most of the time, you'll want affect as a verb meaning to influence something and effect for the something that was influenced. The difference between affect and effect is so slippery that people have started using "impact" as a verb instead.


I'm tired of this conundrum. Would you have used affect or effect in my sentence above ?

 

[OVERKILL]

I would use effect. His family would be affected by the effect Alcohol has on him

 

[hpb]

Overkill is correct.

 

[CT8]

affection or effection I have to look it up some times and still I get it wrong. It really effects [affects] me and results affect [effects] my confidence. In the words of the great Sylvia Stein " Don't worry even I make mistakes"

 

[MDettling]

Originally Posted By: OVERKILL
I would use effect. His family would be affected by the effect Alcohol has on him

That is the correct usage of the 2 words. I find the above statement very true for many, including myself...

English grammar is my strong suit, coming from a school from the deaf.

No such thing as a stupid question regarding grammar.. Except for the moronic posts from a certain couple of people.. where have they gone?

 

[RooflessVW]

Originally Posted By: OVERKILL
I would use effect. His family would be affected by the effect Alcohol has on him

Though effective, the sentence reads better as:

His family would be affected by alcohol's effect on him.

:tipwink:

 

[javacontour]

I would have just used impact, I can't remember the rules so I choose different words.

 

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted By: rooflessVW
Originally Posted By: OVERKILL
I would use effect. His family would be affected by the effect Alcohol has on him

Though effective, the sentence reads better as:

His family would be affected by alcohol's effect on him.

:tipwink:


LOL!

 

[Ethan1]

effect is almost always used as a noun. Sometimes it's a transitive verb that's usually followed by "change".

 

[KGMtech]

Affluence versus Effluence, same deal eh?

 

[Triple_Se7en]

Effect is the more proper word for that sentence.

 

[dlundblad]

It is better to get [censored] on then rained on..

Or something like that.

 

[KitaCam]

Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
I just now wrote this sentence in another thread:

All you have to do is replace the alcohol with something that has the same affect or better.


Actually "affect" COULD be correct if the point is to compare the effect/impact of drugs on the subject's affect, or emotional state.

Still, my "beef" would be with the word "better" as it is qualitative when a quantitative qualifier might be more suitable....hence:

"All you have to do is replace the alcohol with something that has the same or greater impact on the subject's affect."

...just sayin'....it's all about context...

Note that effect is preceded by "the" and affect is preceded by "to"...

 

[Oro_O]

Assuming he was saying the alcohol's "influence," then it should be effect. Though I understand KitaCam's point and it could indeed be used that way.

Here's the way to remember it, Merkava:

The Arrow Affected the Aardvark.

The Effect was Eyepopping!

 

[Rhymingmechanic]

Effect is the proper word.

Originally Posted By: Or
Here's the way to remember it, Merkava:

The Arrow Affected the Aardvark.

The Effect was Eyepopping!


Good one--maybe more memorable than mine:

Affect = Action

Effect = rEsult

 

[Ethan1]

Originally Posted By: KitaCam

I just now wrote this sentence in another thread:

Quote:
All you have to do is replace the alcohol with something that has the same affect or better.


Actually "affect" COULD be correct if the point is to compare the effect/impact of drugs on the subject's affect, or emotional state.

Still, my "beef" would be with the word "better" as it is qualitative when a quantitative qualifier might be more suitable....hence:

"All you have to do is replace the alcohol with something that has the same or greater impact on the subject's affect."

...just sayin'....it's all about context...

Note that effect is preceded by "the" and affect is preceded by "to"...


No, alcohol can't have an affect. Only a person can have an affect. Alcohol doesn't have emotions. Alcohol could, however, effect someone's affect.

 

[KitaCam]

You misinterpreted "subject"...the subject of the experiment.

The "subject" is the person taking the drug, and a person, as you say, has affect that is affected by the drug.

 

[Benzadmiral]

"Effect." Generally speaking, "effect" is a noun -- "It had a peculiar effect." "Affect" is a verb: "It will affect some people strangely."

(As some have pointed out above, "effect" can be a verb and "affect" can be a noun -- but those are rare or specialized usages. Let's not confuse the situation.)

 

[Benzadmiral]

Originally Posted By: javacontour
I would have just used impact, I can't remember the rules so I choose different words.

"Impact" is a noun: "The impact of the meteorite was devastating." Or it can be an adjective: ". . . impacted wisdom tooth."

It's fashionable today to use it as a passive verb -- "People were impacted by this event" -- in order to avoid choosing between "effect" and "affect." But the "impact" construciton is weak compared to the verbs we're discussing.

 

[javacontour]

Since effect is also a noun, it's a suitable replacement.

The effect of the meteorite was devastating.

or should I say the effect of the meteorite impact was devastating?

Originally Posted By: Benzadmiral
Originally Posted By: javacontour
I would have just used impact, I can't remember the rules so I choose different words.

"Impact" is a noun: "The impact of the meteorite was devastating." Or it can be an adjective: ". . . impacted wisdom tooth."

It's fashionable today to use it as a passive verb -- "People were impacted by this event" -- in order to avoid choosing between "effect" and "affect." But the "impact" construciton is weak compared to the verbs we're discussing.