Do we say something for affect or effect?
For instance, if I give the description of a round ball, it seems that the word round is redundant; however, I have chosen to combine those words "for affect/effect"?
In researching this, all I could find is the usual definitions of affect and effect: affect is a verb and effect is a noun; however, in with my understanding of English, it seems that they can be used interchangeably in the aforementioned phrase?
Answer
No, they are not interchangeable. Here, for takes a noun, not a verb (bare infinitive). So your choices are the nouns affect and effect. Affect (noun) is uncommon (in everyday use). It seems to be a psychological term given. The dictionary gives
affect
1. the conscious subjective aspect of an emotion considered apart from bodily changes; also : a set of observable manifestations of a subjectively experienced emotion <… patients … showed perfectly normal reactions and affects … — Oliver Sacks>
This doesn't match the desired meaning. The answer is effect (noun):
effect
7. b : the creation of a desired impression <her tears were purely for effect>
So in your example, you want to say round ball for the creation of a desired impression, whatever that may be.
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