Words / A2

i-FEKT/ɪˈfekt/

An effect is a change that happens because of something else: have an effect on, side effects, cause and effect. Affect is the verb: this will affect your sleep. Learners mix the pair constantly. Effective means it works. Do not write “it will effect me” if you mean the verb.

Meaning

A change that happens because of something else.

Examples

• “Lack of sleep has a bad effect on your work.”
• “The new law had little effect at first.”
• “Bright screens have a bad effect on sleep.”

Good to know

have an effect on. Verb twin: affect. Adjective: effective. side effects.

Near in meaning

result

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