The Arbitrary ChuckJerry: An Annoying Mental Block

Friday, September 02, 2005

An Annoying Mental Block

For some reason I am simply incapable of recognizing the difference between the words "affect" and "effect" by rote. I have to stop and think about it literally every time I want to use one of these words in writing. Other forms with different meanings and spellings come to me right away.

For example, I don't consciously think about using the different forms of "there, their, they're", yet I use them properly probably 98% of the time. Similarly, I don't struggle with "to, too, two", or any other relevant example that I can think of.

The only way I can figure out which is the proper usage is to stop in the middle of the sentence or after I've finished writing it and think about whether I have a noun or a verb. If it's a verb, I can remember to use "affect" since the A means action. If it's a noun, then I remember to use "effect". I have to go through this process every time (it's in the gies).

I don't know why I'm incapable of doing this automatically.

# posted by ChuckJerry : 9/02/2005 03:35:00 PM

Comments:

Maybe it's because each has an alternative meaning that takes on the other's part of speech. That is, though "effect" is most often a noun and "affect" is most often a verb, each has a lesser-used form. If you are in a bad mood, your "affect" has taken a turn for the worse. If you want to do something to better the world, you might "effect" change by donating money to the Red Cross.

Or maybe you are just an idiot.

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