Affect - or effect?

I wish I had made a note of some the dozens of examples of the incorrect use of 'affect' and 'effect'. Sadly, I did not. You do not have search very hard to find the two confused, however, and if books and newspapers use these words interchangeably it makes it doubly hard for the rest of us to remember.

The basic rule is simple:

• affect is nearly always a verb
  (e.g. the movement of the boat affected her balance). It means to influence.
• effect is nearly always a noun
  (e.g. the effect of the weather was noticeable). It means result, or occasionally possessions (e.g. her personal effects).

One way of remembering this is that affect means action.

The two words are frequently found in academic writing, which is generally rich in influences and results.

There are, of course, exceptions. This is English after all, so nothing is straightforward. 'To effect' means to make, or to accomplish; 'an affect' can be used in psychology to mean an emotion. If you use the basic rule, though, it will prove right 19 times out of 20 - probably a better rate of success than many newspapers!