Skip to main content

What is the difference between effect, influence, and impact? Confusing Nouns - Learning English Grammar

English grammar | confusing nouns

Changes to the exam format could have a serious influence on candidates. [incorrect]
Changes to the exam format could have a serious effect on candidates. [correct]

It is difficult to assess the impact of the disaster on tourism.
It is difficult to assess the extent of the disaster on tourism.

An influence is something which causes people to think or behave in a different way:
We need to learn more about the influence of violent computer games on young people.
Our experiences have a huge influence on our personality.

An effect is what happens to someone or something as a result of something else:
Research has shown the harmful effects of stress on mothers and unborn babies.
The new resort has had a beneficial effect on local businesses. [not effect to]

* Remember, effect is a noun. The verb form is affect:
Homes on the west coast were seriously affected by the hurricane.

An impact is a powerful effect of something, especially something new, on a person or situation:
We need to look at the environmental impact of the new dam.
Recent advances have had a massive impact on the personal computer industry.

The word consequences is also used to talk about the results, often bad, of an action:
Children need to be taught about the consequences of doing wrong.
He believes that the 24-7 society has negative consequences for family life.


Need More Help with English Grammar?

Popular posts from this blog

Cambridge 11 Test 1 Writing Task 1 | Writing Practice for IELTS

How would you answer this Cambridge 11 Test 1 Writing Task 1 question? Task 1 Question How to Answer Task 1 Questions Sample Answer Cambridge 11 Writing Task 1 IELTS Writing Task 1 (Academic) tests your written communication skills - how well you can report/describe information. Cambridge 11 Writing Task 1 (Test 1) IELTS Writing Test Task 1 You should spend about 20 minutes on this task. The charts below show the percentage of water used for different purposes in six areas of the world. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features and make comparisons where relevant. Write at least 150 words. International English Language Testing System How would you answer this IELTS 11 Writing Task 1 question about water used for different purposes? Writing Practice for IELTS Task 1: Sample Answer (useful vocabulary is highlighted ) The pie charts illustrates water usage in six different regions around the worl
Read more

Cambridge 11 Test 2 Writing Task 1 | How to Answer This Question

How would you answer this Cambridge 11 Test 2 Writing Task 1 question: The charts below show the proportions of British students at one university in England who were able to speak other languages in addition to English, in 2000 and 2010? How to answer Cambridge 11 Test 2 Writing Task 1 Question This is a question that many people ask when they are doing IELTS exam prepartion . IELTS Writing Task 1 Structure If you want to do well in IELTS writing, it's important that you know how to answer Task 1 correctly! In this post, we will discuss some of the basics and give advice on how to write your answers for Task 1. IELTS writing Task 1 pie charts are an important part of the IELTS writing task. Pie charts have three main components: a title a description (including what the pie chart is showing) labels for each slice Pie Chart Task 1 Writing Tips Describing pie charts in the IELTS writing test Pie charts have three main parts: a title, desc
Read more

How To Answer Cambridge IELTS 8 Speaking Test 1 | IELTS Exam

Cambridge 8 Speaking Test 1 How to give your opinion in English Here are some questions from Cambridge IELTS Book 8 Speaking Test 1 . They include the IELTS Cue Card Describe a time when you were asked to give your opinion in a questionnaire . A native English speaker gave these sample answers to show you what someone might say. Remember, you can answer these questions in many different ways. Cambridge IELTS 8 Speaking Test 1 Tips for IELTS Speaking Do NOT try to memorize full answers - this is unnatural and IELTS examiners are trained to identify memorized answers. Cambridge IELTS 8 Test 1 Speaking Questions & Answers Part 1 Topic | Neighbours How well do you know the people who live next door to you? I know them quite well because we’ve lived beside each other for a couple of years now. The people who live to the right of me, well, it’s a family wi
Read more