affect / effect are similar-sounding terms with different meanings (referred to as homophones). To better understand the differences, see below for definitions, pronunciation guides, and example sentences using each term. 👇
affect: (noun) the conscious subjective aspect of feeling or emotion. (verb) have an effect upon. (verb) act physically on; have an effect upon. (verb) have an emotional or cognitive impact upon.
effect: (noun) an impression (especially one that is artificial or contrived). (noun) the central meaning or theme of a speech or literary work. (noun) (of a law) having legal validity. (noun) a symptom caused by an illness or a drug. (verb) produce. (verb) act so as to bring into existence.
affect: ah·f·EH·k·t
effect: ih·f·EH·k·t
(Examples are Wikipedia snippets under the CC ShareAlike 3.0 license. Definitions drawn from WordNet.)