Grammar Help

[sg_lab2]

I'm usually very good with my grammar and spelling, but there are some things that trip me up. Affect and effect. I simply cannot keep these two words straight.

Can anyone please tell me the difference and if possible an example in a sentence for each?

Here are two sentences I wrote in a fic and I'm not sure if I've used the right word.

Tests showed no ill affects on Rodney.

It’s unclear if it will be permanent at this point and what the affects will be.

Comments

[sg-lab.livejournal.com]

Thank you. I kept going back and forth in the dictionary, but was having a hard time seeing the difference. This sentence here makes it clearer for me. :)

[lamichelle.livejournal.com]

Generally "affect" is the verb and "effect" the noun. But since this is English, there has to be an exception. :D "Effect" as a verb means "to bring about; accomplish." And there're a couple of things with "affect" as well. My usual go-to source for grammar when I have a question: http://andromeda.rutgers.edu/~jlynch/Writing/index.html (http://andromeda.rutgers.edu/~jlynch/Writing/index.html)

So...

The weather affects my mood.

Although I usually have trouble with Mexican food, tonight I suffered no ill effects from my taco platter dinner.

Despite all my arguments, I could not effect a change in the administration's policy.


Sorry - I have trouble with short answers, but I just love grammar!

[lamichelle.livejournal.com]

Er, so, in other words, you'd use "effects" in both the sentences you posted. :)

[sg-lab.livejournal.com]

Hehe, thanks. :)

[sg-lab.livejournal.com]

LOL, thank you. Hugs to my grammar expert.

I'm usually pretty good at knowing a proper sentence from one that's not. But I'm terrible with the vocabulary of grammar. Verb, noun, pronoun and adjective is about as far as it goes for me. :D My mom likes to diagram sentences.

I'll definitely check out that link.

[lamichelle.livejournal.com]

You're welcome. :)

Hehe, the other day I was thinking of how to digram a sentence. I don't really remember how to do it, but I kind of want to again. I'm such a dork.

Oh, and this has nothing to do with this post but... I missed your birthday! Oops! Happy belated birthday!

[sg-lab.livejournal.com]

Oh, and this has nothing to do with this post but... I missed your birthday! Oops! Happy belated birthday!

Thank you. :)

[xfkirsten.livejournal.com]

Well said! I used to correct the improper usage of "effect" and "affect" on exam questions when I was in college. Probably didn't win me many brownie points. ;)

That being said, your link disappoints me, for it is lacking one of my big pet peeves. I constantly see "ensure" and "insure" used interchangably, and it drives me nuts - I believe that they actually have two different meanings, do they not? As far as I know, "insure" refers to actual financial situations, whereas "ensure" just means to make sure. (I also pointed one this out to one of my professors when I saw it on a sign during a lab field trip to a local state park. Of course, her husband was the park official who put up the sign in the first place, so I don't think I won brownie points there, either)

[sg-lab.livejournal.com]

LOL, I'm always biting my tongue to keep from correcting my dad's terrible grammar.

[lamichelle.livejournal.com]

Well, it's a good starting point at least. :) I mostly like it because he writes in such a way that pretty much anyone can understand it, so I can point people there. Not everyone really wants to hear me going on about transitive and intransitive verbs. Don't know why... ;)

I'm pretty sure you're right about "ensure" and "insure" - that's one I've seen, too. And I love that story about the lab field trip. I've done things like that, too... but not to the person's spouse. Oops. :D