Affect vs Effect: Choose by Action or Result
This drill trains you to identify the job of the missing word before choosing the answer. Do not rely on which word looks familiar. Find whether the sentence needs an action or a result.
Choose affect
Affect is normally a verb in TOEIC business English. One thing changes or influences another: affect sales, affect costs, affect performance.
Choose effect
Effect is normally a noun. The sentence names the result or impact: an effect, a positive effect, the effect on productivity.
How to identify the anchor
Check the small words around the blank and the structure that follows it.
The software update may ___ system performance.
Answer: affectMay requires a base-form verb, and system performance is the thing being changed.
The new schedule had a positive ___ on employee morale.
Answer: effectA positive introduces a noun, while on employee morale names the target of the result.
This drill uses the normal TOEIC distinction. Rare specialist uses of affect as a noun and effect as a verb are outside its scope.
What your result reveals
Your score shows more than whether you remembered two similar words. Use the Review to identify which decision signal you missed.
If affect caused problems
Review modal verbs and direct objects. You may be missing the verb frame that shows one thing changing another.
If effect caused problems
Review articles, adjectives and the patterns effect on and effect of. These signals usually require a result noun.
If false anchors or timing caused problems
You may be reacting to familiar business vocabulary instead of checking the grammatical job around the blank.
Use the Review in this order: check the correct answer, locate the anchor, read why it matters, then repeat the pattern aloud before trying the drill again.