Assessing a situation or risk

The idea

Use assess with the thing judged or a clause introduced by whether.

Examples

• The guide assessed the weather risk.
• We assessed the damage after the storm.
• The committee will assess each proposal.
• Teachers assess progress in different ways.
• First, assess whether the bridge is safe.
• They assessed the results before deciding.

Watch out

Do not add to before a direct object: say assess the risk.

Try it yourself

1. Choose the correct form. The engineers will ___ the risk. (assess / assess to)

   Show answer or example answer

   assess

   assess follows the modal will in its base form.

2. Choose the correct form. We ___ the damage yesterday. (assessed / assessing)

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   assessed

   assessed places the evaluation yesterday.

3. Choose the correct form. Please assess ___ the plan is practical. (whether / to)

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   whether

   whether introduces the question of practicality.

Use it today

Describe a risk you would assess before a trip.