Identify the error, if any, in the following sentence:
The manager tried hard to effectA a change in company policy, butB the owner, who steadfastly refused to compromiseC, overruledD him on every point. No errorE.
There is a good bit of confusion around the words “effect” and “affect.” Some simple rules apply: “effect” is a noun, “affect” is a verb. I have “an effect” on something. I “affect” something. Usually, the SAT tests your knowledge of this word by confusing one with the other. As a result, a question like the one above would be easy to fall for. Here, you see that the word “effect” is being used as a verb; it’s tempting to think that that is an error. However, here’s where the effect/affect thing gets just a little more complicated. More often than not, “effect” will be used as a noun. However, there is also the verb “to effect,” which means “to bring about, or to cause to happen.” In this sentence, “effect” is correctly used as a verb. Once you realize that (A) is actually ok, it should not be difficult for you to see that there are no problems with (B), (C), or (D). There are no errors in this sentence. The answer is (E).
source: majortests.com
