Impact vs Effect
Impact and Effect are two words that are often confused when it comes to their meanings. The word impact is used in the sense of ‘influence’. On the other hand the word ‘effect’ is used in the sense of ‘result’. This is the main difference between the two words impact and effect.
Observe the two sentences
1. The incident has a great impact on his behavior.
2. The sound system has a good effect.
In the first sentence the word ‘impact’ is used in the sense of ‘influence’. It only means ‘the incident has a great influence on his behavior’. In the second sentence the word ‘effect’ is used in the sense of ‘result’. The sentence would mean ‘the sound system produces a great result’.
The word ‘impact’ is usually followed by the preposition ‘to’ and sometimes it is followed by the preposition ‘of’ as in the sentence ‘the impact of his speech was felt’.
Effect often refers to the result or the consequence of an action. Its noun form is ‘efficacy’.
Impact on the other hand does not indicate a consequence but on the other hand it only implies the influence of an action. The usage of the word ‘impact’ implies ‘power’ whereas the usage of the word ‘effect’ implies ‘outcome’. This is the main difference between the two words.
It is interesting to note that the word ‘effect’ has various other forms such as adjective in ‘effective’, adverb in ‘effectively’ and the like. On the other hand the word ‘impact’ is used just as a noun. It is not used as an adjective and as an adverb. This is another important difference between the two words. It is generally said that any cause will have its own effect. In other words an effect is preceded by a cause.
Thank you very much for this great information
It would have been nice to have some comment regarding the use of “impact” as a verb. As a translator and proofreader of academic articles, I prefer to avoid its use as a verb, using “influence” or “affect” instead. However, I’m having difficulty finding an authoritative pronouncement on the question.