The AMA Handbook of Business Letters, 4th Edition

APPENDIX I

Words to watch

The words and phrases listed in this appendix are often used incorrectly in correspondence.

ACKNOWLEDGE WITH THANKS or ACKNOWLEDGE RECEIPT OF Using the words thank you is a more direct way of expressing gratitude after receiving something.

AFFECT versus EFFECT When used as verbs, affect means “to influence”; effect means “to accomplish.” Both words can also be used as nouns. The noun affect is usually used only in a psychological context, where it means “expression of emotion.” When the construction calls for a noun, and you are not using the word in a psychological sense, you will almost always use effect. Most of the time you can the mnemonic device RAVEN to remember the appropriate usage: Remember Affect is a Verb ...