Which assessment primarily uses written responses to determine understanding?

• A. Essay test
• B. Performance
• C. Formative Assessment
• D. Grade Equivalent Score

Answer: (A)

Written-response assessments focus on students generating their own written work to show understanding. An essay test asks students to compose a structured, extended response that explains ideas, supports arguments with evidence, and demonstrates how concepts connect. This format directly reveals how well a student can organize thoughts, reason through a problem, and express understanding in writing. By contrast, a performance assessment centers on demonstrating skills or producing a product through an activity, such as a project or experiment. Formative assessment is a broader approach to monitoring progress that can use many formats, not just written responses. A Grade Equivalent Score describes how a student’s score compares to typical performance at a given grade level, rather than the method of assessment itself. So, the option that relies primarily on written responses to determine understanding is the essay test.