affect, effect. As a verb, affect means to influence {'Smoking may affect your health'} or to adopt a pose or manner {'He affected ignorance'}. Effect as a verb means to accomplish {'The prisoners effected an escape'}. As a noun, the word needed is almost always effect {as in 'personal effects' or 'the damaging effects of war'}. Affect as a noun has a narrow psychological meaning to do with emotional states {by way of which it is related to affection}. It is worth noting that affect as a verb is nearly always bland and almost meaningless. In 'The winter weather affected profits in the building division' {The Times} and 'The noise of the crowds affected his play' {Daily Telegraph}, it is by no means clear whether the noise and weather helped or hindered or delayed or exacerbated the profits and play. A more precise word can almost always be found.
( Bill Bryson )
[ Troublesome Words ]
www.QuoteSweet.com