Can you Explain affect and effect like you would to a five year old?

Answer 1

The basic difference?

The words are very similar and have their roots in the same place and so the difference is tiny.

Affect is used to mean to cause a change in something - it can cause an Effect.

I affect the ozone when I drive my car.

Effect is used to mean the change caused in something - it is what happens to something when it is affected

The effect on the ozone is that it is damaged.

I affect the ozone, the ozone is affected. The effect I have is that the ozone is damaged, the effect of my actions.

Is that okay? And are you actually trying to explain it to a five year old? Because I wouldn't bother, it tends to be one of those words people can use correctly but don't know why they use it when they do or don't.

Hope it helped,

Acey~Nz

I would add that "affect" is almost always used as a verb and "effect" as a noun.