J. Roth

Extra Help on Affect/Effect and Principle/Principal

Confused about the difference between Affect and Effect?

First, read the sentence with either the word “result” or “outcome” in the affect/effect location. If either “result” or “outcome” reads well and sounds correct, use effect. If “result” or “outcome” does not make sense in that location, use affect.

EIf “result” or “outcome” would fit in that location, use EFFECT.

Try it here in the sample sentences that follow:

I am not sure what the (affect, effect) will be.

Test with “result” or “outcome” and you get . . .

I am not sure what the (result) will be or I am not sure what the (outcome) will be. At least one of these substitute words makes a sensible sentence, right? So choose effect.

I am not sure what the effect will be.

Now try this sentence:

His attitude will (affect, effect) the whole group. Test with “result” or “outcome” and you get . . .

His attitude will (result) the whole group or His attitude will (outcome) the whole group.

Neither” result” or “outcome” works well, so choose affect.

His attitude will affect the whole group.

Here is more help:

EIf the effect/affect will end in “-ed,” use affected.

EIf the effect/affect will end in “-ive,” use effective.

(Grammar explanation: Remember that “affect(ed)” is most often a verb—it is the action of the subject—as in “The weather affected my mood.” However, “effect” is most often a noun and has “the” or “an” somewhere in front of it. “My words had a wonderful effect on Bruce” or “I wonder what will be the effect on us?”)

Confused about the difference between principle and principal?

EUse principle if you mean rule, law, concept.

Try these sentences:

I am taking Principles of Economics. (“Concepts” of Economics makes sense).

Or

That decision violates my principles (my “rules” makes sense).

EUse principal if you mean “main” or “most important.”

Test with this one first. Does “most important” or “main” read well in the sentence location?

Try this practice sentence:

The (principle, principal) reason I am attending SCC is to better myself.

Now use the substitute test words:

The (most important) reason I am attending SCC is to better myself.

or

The (main) reason I am attending SCC is to better myself.

Either substitute word makes sense, so use principal.

EUse principal if you mean the head of a school.

I talked with the principal of the school.