What are the two different types of assessments?

• A. Informal, Formal
• B. Formal, Informal
• C. Diagnostic, Norm-referenced
• D. Qualitative, Quantitative

Answer: (A)

Assessments come in two broad forms: formal and informal. Formal assessments are structured, standardized tools with defined procedures and scoring rules, such as district or state tests. They provide consistent data across students and time, which helps with comparisons and accountability. Informal assessments are flexible and often teacher-made or observation-based, like quick checks for understanding, exit tickets, or ongoing notes about student progress. They yield immediate, actionable feedback to adjust teaching and support individual learners. The question asks for two distinct types, and the pair formal and informal directly captures this common distinction. Other pairings describe related ideas—like diagnostic versus norm-referenced focusing on purpose, or qualitative versus quantitative describing data types—rather than the basic split between organized, standardized tools and flexible, classroom-based checks.