AFFECT/EFFECT

What's the difference between affect and effect?

This is another question that's been sprung on me recently, and here's what I said:

To affect someone means that you have an impact on them, whereas to effect means to bring about, or to cause something.

So...

The new leader is effecting big changes, which directly affect my work.

The best tip I've heard of if you are unsure is to see if you can put in the verb 'to make' for effect without, er, affecting the meaning.

Read more:

* That or Which

THAT/WHICH

One of the good things about my newish job at the London School of Economics is having to find stuff out. Interesting how often this will be answers to questions that have been hanging around in the back of my mind for some time.

Such as what's the difference between THAT and WHICH?

So here's my answer to the THAT/WHICH rule:

That is defining, and Which is not, so you would use That in a restrictive clause.

Er, yes. And...

I know, that helps me like a sack of potatoes too. How about if you use them in this way:

The essays that have to be in on Tuesday should be written in black ink

and

The essays, which have to be in on Tuesday, should be written in black ink.

See?

The THAT example implies that ONLY the essays that have to be in on Tuesday should be written in black ink, and the WHICH example suggests ALL the essays need to be both in on Tuesday and written in black ink.

I've looked back through my old stuff and I've - mostly - used these two words correctly so the rule must have been implanted many years ago, but I've never actually unpacked it before.

Call me anal, but I LOVE all this.

Any grammar questions/rules/tips you want to throw at me before the students put me on the spot will be gratefully received.


Related posts:

How are your sentences?

Writing Do's and Don'ts

I'm a Winnie the Pooh Fellow

I'm a Winnie The Pooh Fellow

Several people have asked me recently about my teaching, and I think I can announce this officially now, so here goes - from September this year, I'm going to be the Royal Literary Fund Fellow at the London School of Economics. I'm looking forward to it for so many reasons, not least having a proper job, meeting new people, getting to know the LSE, being able to take the fear out of writing for students, helping people to express their thoughts, and also having the thinking time for my own writing that teaching creative writing doesn't always allow you.

On Tuesday, we all (the new fellows to the scheme this year) met up in London to be 'inducted' and I came away with two new reasons to be grateful - firstly, I learnt that the scheme gets its money from the sale of the AA Milne estate to Disney. So we are really 'Winne the Pooh Fellows'. I used to love the Winnie the Pooh books when I was a child, not just the words but the physical bookiness of them (and also because I could see how much my parents enjoyed reading them to me. It's a lovely thing to share that real enjoyment with your parents, even if you're too young to recognise exactly what it means.)

And secondly, I loved hearing about the importance of the one-to-one consultations between the fellow and student that are at the heart of the scheme. For some students apparently, this might be the only time they are offered an hour of one-to-one talking about their course during the whole of their degree. It feels like a real privilege to be in the position to offer that.

It's interesting about nerves. Because as well as being excited, I've been nervous about the scheme - would I be good enough, what did I know about economics, or politics, and heck, all the students at LSE were bound to be cleverer than me because all I am is a jumped up ex-fashion student after all.... I'm sure you've all been to what my friend, Shaun calls 'that place' in different guises and at different times so you'll know what I'm on about.

But after Tuesday, I've been thinking about it differently. Cor blimey, Sarah, it's not all about you and how bad (or good) you are. No, it's about the student, and what they want to say. And I'm looking forward to hearing them talk about their studies, and what they need to make it a bit easier for them in terms of writing skills.

Plus I'm going to have my Quick and Dirty Grammar tips handy (as well as a pot or two of honey!)

***

Another good thing from Tuesday was reconnecting with the Scottish writer, Linda Cracknell, who will be the RLF Fellow at Stirling University. We found we had so much in common, not least a passion for short stories, walking and writing, small books, and much much else. We'd even just bought the same book about designing and producing your own books - do I need to say more?

You can read one of Linda's stories here, or buy her collection, The Searching Glance from Salt Publishing. You won't be disappointed.