Determine whether the underlined portion of the sentence below is correct or whether it needs to be revised. Choose the correct option.

Determine whether the underlined portion of the sentence below is correct or whether it needs to be revised. Choose the correct option.

Natural disasters have been increasingly effecting nearly every part of the world in the past decade with catastrophic tornadoes, hurricanes and tsunamis.
A . have been increasingly effecting
B . has been increasingly effecting
C . have been increasingly affecting
D . will be increasingly effecting
E . will be increasingly affecting

View Answer

Answer: C

Explanation:

The only problem with the underlined portion of this sentence is the use of the word “effecting” instead of “affecting.” When an object/s undergoes changes, these changes are effects such as in the following sentence: John’s excellent attendance at school has had positive effects on his education.

However, in the verb form, “effects” turns into “affects” such as in the following sentence: John’s excellent attendance has affected his education. Noun (effect) vs. verb (affect). Only choice “have been increasingly affecting” and choice “will be increasingly affecting” properly used “affecting” but choice “will be increasingly affecting” uses the future tense when the sentence clearly describes an occurrence of the past (“…in the past decade…”).