

In one usage, the definition remains the same and there is simply more than one effect, such as “side effects.” In another usage, “effects” are someone’s personal belongings. When it appears as plural, “effects,” there may be several definitions. In this example, you can see that “effect” functions as a noun–a thing that, in this sentence, occurs because of medicine. The young woman was dizzy from the side effect of the medicine. When it appears as singular, it may be used like this:

In general, “effect” can be singular or plural, sometimes changing its definition when plural. The word “effect” is a noun that means “a change which is a result or consequence of an action or other cause.” The word “effect” is used in the phrase “cause and effect,” which you may be familiar with if you’ve ever been asked to write that type of essay. Let’s take a look at these commonly confused words by first defining them. After all, their correct usage can improve your credibility with your reader, whether that means a fellow classmate or an instructor. Whatever your concern over these two very similar words, it’s important to understand the difference. Or perhaps you didn’t even realize you made an error in the first place. Have you ever faced the dilemma of whether to choose “effect” or “affect”? Perhaps you thought you selected the correct one but were informed it was the wrong choice after all. You may wonder, what should my topic be? Are my sources credible? Should that be an APA or MLA website citation ? How’s my grammar?
