If something is effectual, it actually produces the result you wanted. It does not only look useful, or sound strong; it works.

If something is effectual如果某件事是effectual的, it actually produces the result you wanted它真的產生了你想要的結果. It does not only look useful它不只是看起來有用, or sound strong或聽起來很有力; it works而是真的有效

You can say an effectual plan, an effectual warning, an effectual law.

You can say你可以說 an effectual plan一個effectual的計畫, an effectual warning一個effectual的警告, an effectual law一條effectual的法律

It is a formal, slightly old-fashioned word. In everyday talk, people almost always say effective instead, and that is the safer choice in school writing too.

It is a formal, slightly old-fashioned word是個正式、有點老派的詞. In everyday talk在日常對話裡, people almost always say effective instead大家幾乎都改說effective, and that is the safer choice而這 in school writing too在學校寫作裡也是比較安全的選擇

Though actually, you will meet the opposite more often than this word itself: ineffectual — a person or an action that tries, but does not really change anything, like a weak protest or a leader nobody follows. In older or legal English, effectual can also shade toward “valid; enough to count,” as in an effectual agreement, but the core idea is still the same: it does the job.

Though actually不過其實, you will meet the opposite more often than this word itself你更常遇到的是它的反義詞: ineffectualineffectual — a person or an action that tries一個努力嘗試的人或行動, but does not really change anything但沒有真的改變什麼, like a weak protest就像一場無力的抗議, or a leader nobody follows或一個沒人跟隨的領袖. In older or legal English在較舊或法律英文裡, effectual can also shade towardeffectual也可能偏向 "valid; enough to count,"「有效力、算數」的意思, as in an effectual agreement像an effectual agreement, but the core idea is still the same不過核心意思還是一樣: it does the job就是有做到該做的事