Personal affects or personal effects?
Writing for Business
Which is correct?
Among the items you should never leave on your desk are _____________ with sensitive information, such as credit card statements.
a. personal affects
b. personal effects
Answer: b.
Explanation:
A personal effect is a personal item. This term pops up mostly in the contexts of things they hold for you while you’re in jail or things you leave someone in a will. However, it’s also used to describe personal items you may (but shouldn’t) leave on your desk.
Totally understandable why I shouldn’t leave tax documents or my credit card bill on the desk. But why they want me to remove my vintage troll doll collection, I’ll never understand.
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Grammar Girl Mignon Fogarty (@GrammarGirl on Twitter) says she gets more questions about effect vs. affect than anything else.
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