During a course, which assessment checks progress and tests only material covered so far?

• A. Formative assessment
• B. Summative assessment
• C. Placement assessment
• D. Diagnostic assessment

Answer: (A)

Formative assessment is about monitoring progress while learning is happening. It checks understanding of material that has already been taught and uses the results to guide instruction, provide feedback, and address misunderstandings as they arise. That ongoing, in-the-moment nature makes it the best fit for a question about an assessment that checks progress during a course and tests only what has been covered so far. By contrast, summative assessments come at the end of a unit to judge overall achievement, placement assessments determine where a learner should start, and diagnostic assessments identify specific gaps before or early in instruction.