Idiomatic Word Choice
Question
The new policy will have a significant affect on staffing decisions next quarter.
Answer choices
- impact upon
- NO CHANGE
- effect
- effect by
C Correct answer: C) effect
You need a noun after "significant" — "a significant ___ on." "Effect" is the noun form. "Affect" is a verb and does not fit grammatically.
The other options either introduce a grammatical error or change the intended meaning. The ACT consistently rewards the most concise, grammatically correct option.
Read the sentence with each option substituted in. The version that preserves meaning while obeying the underlying rule is the correct answer; on the ACT, that is almost always the shortest option that still works.
The underlying rule
"Affect" is almost always a verb meaning to influence; "effect" is almost always a noun meaning the result. Here you need the noun, so "effect" is correct.
Why each wrong answer is wrong
- A) impact upon: This option uses the wrong word form or adds an incorrect preposition.
- B) NO CHANGE: This option uses the wrong word form or adds an incorrect preposition.
- D) effect by: This option uses the wrong word form or adds an incorrect preposition.
Study tip
Affect = verb (to affect change). Effect = noun (the effect was). Memorize the rare exceptions ("personal affect" is psychological flat affect; "to effect change" is to bring about), but on the ACT the standard noun/verb distinction is what is tested.
More Easy Style & Word Choice
- Eliminating WordinessThe committee made the decision to come to a conclusion to approve the proposal.
- Removing Redundant WordsThe lecture began at exactly 9 a.m. in the morning on the first day of class.
- Idiomatic Word ChoiceThe new policy will have a significant affect on staffing decisions next quarter.
- Choosing the Most Precise WordThe hiking trail goes through dense forest before opening into a wide alpine meadow
- Maintaining Academic RegisterIn her recent paper, the geneticist got down to the question of how mutations accum