TOEIC Link Part 5: affect versus effect
Affect and effect are pronounced so closely in ordinary speech that most people never notice which one they are saying — and that is exactly why Part 5 loves the pair. In the overwhelming majority of test sentences, affect is a verb meaning to influence or have an impact on, and effect is a noun meaning a result or consequence. The blank almost always tells you which part of speech it needs, so the choice is settled by grammar before meaning even comes into play. For the wider set of look-alike traps, start with the commonly confused word pairs master index.
The core rule: the verb that influences versus the noun that results
- affect = to influence; to have an impact on (verb). The new tariff will affect shipping costs across the region. It answers what acts on something? Link affect to influence and change, and remember it takes a direct object: you affect something.
- effect = a result; a consequence (noun). The tariff had an immediate effect on shipping costs. It answers what is the result? Link effect to result and outcome, and remember it usually follows the, an, a positive, or a lasting.
The key difference: affect is the action of influencing, while effect is the result that follows. If the blank needs a verb — something the subject does to an object — choose affect; if the blank names a thing, especially after an article or adjective, choose effect.
Why Part 5 likes this pair
Because the two words sound alike, Part 5 builds a sentence where either could pass the ear test, then rewards the reader who checks the grammar of the slot. The clearest tell is the surrounding structure: a verb slot after a subject wants affect, while a noun slot after the, an, or an adjective wants effect.
The revised policy is expected to __ how quickly invoices are processed.
A verb meaning "influence" needs affect.
The revised policy had a noticeable __ on how quickly invoices were processed.
A noun after a noticeable meaning "result" needs effect.
Spotting the clue
Decide first what part of speech the blank needs, then confirm the meaning:
- Is the blank a verb with a subject doing something to an object? → choose affect (weather may affect delivery, noise affects concentration).
- Is the blank a noun, usually after the / an / a / this / adjective? → choose effect (a lasting effect, the effect of the change, side effects).
A quick test: can you put the or a in front of the blank and have it name a thing? Then it is effect. Does the blank sit where a verb belongs, taking an object? Then it is affect. Because the split is grammatical, this pair sits alongside other look-alike traps such as complement versus compliment and principal versus principle.
Common Part 5 patterns
- Anything in a verb slot that means "influence" wants affect: may affect the outcome, did not affect sales, factors that affect demand, weather affects travel.
- Anything in a noun slot that means "result" wants effect: the effect of the merger, a positive effect, take effect on Monday, side effects.
Note the two set phrases that break the default: take effect (to become operative) is always the noun, and to effect change (to bring about) is a formal verb use of effect — but on Part 5 these are rare, and the influence/result split covers nearly every item.
Quick reference
- affect = to influence (verb) → think action on something.
- effect = a result (noun) → think outcome, and look for the / a / an in front.
If the blank is a verb that acts on an object, it is affect; if it names a result, usually after an article or adjective, it is effect. Check the grammar of the slot first and this pair stops being a guess.