have an impact — affect
collocationB1IELTS 5+neutralcommon
to strongly influence or change someone or something
Say it like a native
Textbook Social media exerts a considerable influence upon adolescents.
Native Social media has a big impact on teenagers.
'Have an impact on' is the natural collocation; 'exerts a considerable influence upon' is heavy.
Pattern: have an impact (on someone/something)
In use
- Social media can have an impact on how people feel about themselves.daily life
- In my opinion, teachers have an impact on students’ motivation and future success.IELTS speaking
Common mistake
✗ It had a big impact in my life.
✓ It had a big impact on my life.
'Have an impact ON' something, not 'in'.
Common collocations
have an impact on— on the economy, a huge impact, a lasting impact, on people's lives
Don't confuse it
Similar to 'affect', but 'have an impact' is often used for stronger or more noticeable effects.