"To this effect" means "for this purpose" or "in this way," while "to this affect" is incorrect. The latter is a common misspelling of the former.
The phrase "to this effect" is an idiomatic expression used to indicate that something is being done or said for a particular purpose. It's often used in formal or legal contexts a statement or action. For example:
"The committee issued a statement to this effect: that all future meetings would be held virtually."
However, "to this affect" is not a valid phrase in English. It's a common mistake that likely arises from confusion between the words "affect" and "effect."
The confusion between "affect" and "effect" is a well-documented language issue. Here's a quick breakdown:
| Affect | Effect |
|---|---|
| Verb (to influence) | Noun (result or consequence) |
| "The storm affected our travel plans." | "The storm had a significant effect on our travel plans." |
When used as a noun, "affect" refers to emotion or feeling, typically in psychological contexts. This is another source of confusion for writers.
The mistake of using "to this affect" instead of "to this effect" is widespread. Even professional writers and editors sometimes make this error. For instance, in a 2018 article about climate change, a reputable news outlet wrote: "Scientists have issued warnings to this affect: that we have 12 years to limit climate change catastrophe." The correct phrasing would be "to this effect."
To correct the mistake, simply replace "to this affect" with "to this effect." If you're unsure which word to use, try substituting "for this purpose" or "in this way." If the sentence still makes sense, you're using the correct phrase.
While editing a client's report last year, I encountered the phrase "to this affect" multiple times. After correcting it throughout the document, I realized how easily this mistake can slip past even careful proofreaders. Since then, I've made it a point to double-check whenever I see either word in a sentence.