Assessing the chance of harm

The idea

assess a risk means judging how likely harm is and how severe it could be. It does not itself reduce the risk.

Examples

• Engineers assessed the flood risk.
• The board assessed the financial risk.
• Farmers assess the risk of frost.
• The laboratory assessed risks to staff.
• The guide will assess the risk before the climb.
• The committee is assessing environmental risks.

Watch out

Avoid assess about a risk: the verb takes its object directly.

Try it yourself

1. Choose the missing word. The pilot must ___ the danger. (assess / assesses)

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   assess

   assess follows the modal in its base form.

2. Choose the missing word. The team ___ the risk yesterday. (assessed / assesses)

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   assessed

   assessed puts the evaluation in the past.

3. Choose the missing word. The report ___ the risk of fire. (assesses / assess)

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   assesses

   assesses agrees with the singular subject.

Use it today

Describe a risk and the factors you would assess.