Revisitng Affect vs. Effect

This one is for you, Deanna. 

In March I wrote up a post about Affect vs. Effect. In order to clarify, I wanted to try again, this time with visuals.



Ice cream is yummy.

It has this crazy affect (affect = influence) on me. It makes me want to eat it.

But if I eat too much, the effect (effect = result) is... I get chunky.

Mmmm chunky ice cream.

Does that help?

Than vs Then

English is such a funny language.

We borrow words from other languages, we combine two words to make one, and in a pinch we even make up words.

You'd think we could avoid words that sound so similar, they are often mistaken for the other. {Sigh}

Today we are going to cover Than vs Then. Not as commonly misused as Its vs It's, but still high on the list.


THAN is used for comparing. So just remember THAN with an A is used to COMPARE.

Example: Bob is smarter than Bill.


THEN has many more uses. Like if you do this, then this will happen; as a point in time, like then we will go to the movies; and also or adding to, like you take on tire, then another, then another.

Examples: If you eat too much, then you will feel sick.
Let's go to the store, then we can head home.
I want to pack those red socks, then those blue ones.

Does that make sense?

QUIZ TIME! Which usages are correct?

1. Please pass the peas, than hand me the rolls.
2. Please pass the peas, then hand me the rolls.

3. I like my hair now better than before.
4. I like my hair now better then before.

5. First we will go to bed, than we will get up.
6. First we will go to bed, then we will get up.

7. If you get too close to the edge than you will fall!
8. If you get too close to the edge then you will fall!

Leave your answers in the comments.

Affect vs Effect

This post is in response to a request by Deanna. Thanks for reading!

Class, today we will be studying grammar. Stay in your seats, I know you're excited. 


Affect and Effect are especially difficult for many people because they are homonyms. They sound the same, so when we speak most people don't naturally think of how each is spelled (unless you are a grammar freak like me, you mentally... oh nevermind).

To figure out how to use each correctly, one must know the definitions.

Affect -> to influence, to act on, to attack.

Effect -> the result, to produce an impression, advantage.



So, the environment had an affect on him, but the effect of the experiment was futile.

And, the weather adversely affects my asthma, but the effect of the prescription is good.


Does that make sense?

Quiz time!
Fill in the blank with the correct use: either affect or effect.

1. I had little _______ in the matter.
2. Because of the _______ of the car accident, I have a lot of back pain.
3. No doubt about it, chocolate ________ me so much, the ______ is that I gain weight.

Pencils down!!

Answers: 1. affect, 2. effect, 3. affects, effect

Still unsure of the difference? Leave a comment or shoot me an email. 

What is Passive Voice?

You've heard the term, "be a defensive driver." Obviously, it means to always be on the lookout and avoid accidents before they happen.

In the writing world, we don't want to be defensive. Being defensive is weak! Instead, we want to be proactive. And so we use the following phrase: "avoid passive voice." But exactly what is passive voice?

There is a great handout on passive voice by The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

I see passive voice all the time, and it really gets on my nerves. Here are some examples:


The cheese was eaten.
Fun was had by all.
Why was the road crossed by the chicken? (Example from handout)


Do you see something wrong with these sentences? They are grammatically "correct" but just lack some umph.

If you thought, "who ate the cheese?" or "who had fun?" or "why is the word 'chicken' where it is?" then you are onto something! Basically, the subject and action are a little sloppy. The sentence is telling us what happened, but no proactively. Kind of like when your kid does something wrong, and they try to downplay it.

"The vase was broken." vs "I broke the vase."

If you have a manuscript started, go through it and try to pick out any passive sentences. Once you have identified them, figure out how to make them stand out.

The door opened slowly. vs. Charlie slowly pushed the door open.

See how that small change makes a big difference? The sentence is more commanding and offers more imagry to the reader. They don't just see the door, they see a person acting on the door.

What do you think?

The Pitfall of "Starting to" or "Beginning to"

I've edited quite a few manuscripts and while there are common pitfalls you would expect, such as subject-verb agreement or using the right form of "there/their/they're," one pitfall has jumped out at me that completely boggles my mind.

It is (starting to) give me a headache.

I am (beginning to) notice it everywhere.

Wait.... akk! I did it just now! Those two phrases are so.... not needed. I could have just as easily said:

It gives me a headache.

I notice it everywhere.

Isn't that much better? Phrases that use "starting to" or "beginning to" when they don't need to are wordy and distracting. They don't do much for a novel, nonfiction manuscript, or news story. Why do we use them so often?

Because you and I think that way. You think in your head, I'm starting to get a headache. Great. (Well not really great.) But the fact is, you're getting a headache. Plain and simple. It's already implied that you're "starting" to get one. Because you said "getting" and if you already HAD it you would just say "I HAVE a headache" so leave me alone! Just cut out the extra words. It means the same thing.

Is this starting to make sense?

Eeek!

I meant, is this making sense?

Ahh yes. Much better.

Trust me. Now that I pointed this out to you, you will start to see it everywhere. I mean, you will SEE IT everywhere. Because you probably already started to (plus I already said WILL SEE IT, which implies that in the future you will start at some point).

I really AM getting a headache now.

Don't get me wrong-- I'm not saying that it's horrible to use "starting to" or "beginning to" as at times they are completely warranted. But watch yourself. Overuse it, and readers may begin to pay attention to that over the plot, or they will start to get distracted by all the extra words.

Are you distracted now? I thought so.

Make it concise. Not war.

Thank you.