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Prepositions after adjectives

Affected by, in, of, with or through?

Affected is most commonly followed by by to show a cause or influence. Other prepositions are more limited or context-specific.

Quick answer

How to use affected

Use affected by to show what causes a change or influence: The area was affected by flooding. Affected with is mainly used in medical or formal contexts. In, of, and through are usually not fixed patterns after affected.

Many homes were affected by the storm.
She was deeply affected by the news.
The patient was affected with a rare disease.

Choose the pattern by meaning

These forms are not interchangeable. Choose the construction by meaning, not by which preposition appears most often.

1
affected by + cause

Influenced or changed by something

Use affected by for the source of an effect, change, or emotional impact.

Traffic was affected by heavy rain.
He seemed affected by her comments.
2
affected with + illness

Having a disease or condition

Affected with appears mainly in medical or formal English.

Several animals were affected with the virus.
Children affected with the condition received treatment.
3
affected in + area

Changed in a particular area

Use in to specify the aspect or area that experienced change. The preposition belongs to the wider sentence.

Sales were affected in several regions.
The company was affected in different ways.

See the difference in context

The same subject can take different constructions because each sentence answers a different question.

Construction
Example
Meaning
affected by
The crops were affected by drought.
influenced or harmed because of something
affected with
Patients affected with asthma need regular care.
having a disease; formal or medical use
affected through
The village was affected through supply shortages.
possible when through explains the means, not a fixed adjective pattern
affected of
The team was affected of the decision.
incorrect in standard English
affected in
Profits were affected in the final quarter.
affected in a particular area or period

Common mistakes

Some combinations appear in real text but do not mean what learners often assume.

Using affected of

Affected is not followed by of in standard English.

✕ She was affected of the accident. ✓ She was affected by the accident.

Overusing affected with

Affected with is mainly medical or formal.

✕ Everyone was affected with the delay. ✓ Everyone was affected by the delay.

Confusing affected and effected

Affected usually means influenced. Effected means caused or brought about.

✕ The policy effected many workers. ✓ The policy affected many workers.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. The flights were affected ___ fog.
2. Several patients were affected ___ the illness.
3. Profits were affected ___ different markets.

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Frequently asked questions

Is affected by the most common pattern?

Yes. It is the standard pattern for causes, influences, and emotional impact.

Can I use affected with for emotions?

Usually no. Affected with is mainly used for illnesses or conditions.

Is affected through wrong?

Not necessarily. Through can describe the means by which something happened, but it is not a fixed pattern after affected.

abhorrent-to-in-for-of, about "ablaze with" or "ablaze in"? "able for" or "able in"? "abreast of" or "abreast with"? "absent from" or "absent in"? absolute in, for, of, to or as? "absurd to", "absurd in" or "absurd for"? abundant in, with, of, on or for? "abusive to", "abusive in" or "abusive towards"? "academic in" or "academic at"? "acceptable to" or "acceptable for"? accessible to, by, for, from or in?

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