Which statement correctly contrasts Formal and Informal tests?

• A. Formal tests are graded and used in the final grade; Informal tests may or may not be graded and are not used in the final grade.
• B. Formal tests are always ungraded; Informal tests are graded
• C. Both Formal and Informal tests are always graded
• D. Informal tests are never used for assessment

Answer: (A)

Formal assessments are structured evaluations that document what a student has learned and influence the official grade. Because their results count toward the final grade, these tests are typically graded in a standardized way. Informal assessments are ongoing, casual checks used during instruction to gauge understanding and guide teaching; they may be graded or ungraded, but they do not determine the final grade. This contrast explains why the statement describing formal tests as graded and counting toward the final grade, while informal tests may be graded but do not affect the final grade, is correct. The other options don’t fit because they either claim formal tests are always ungraded, or that both forms are always graded, or that informal tests are never used for assessment.