What takes common assault to battery?

• A. Verbal threat
• B. Physical violence
• C. Economic harm
• D. Negligence

Answer: (B)

The progression from common assault to battery hinges on actual physical contact. Battery is the unlawful application of force to another person, so when there is real physical contact, the offense moves from a threat or attempt to the charged crime of battery. A verbal threat alone can be enough for common assault because it creates fear of imminent harm, but it isn’t battery since there’s no physical contact. Economic harm and negligence describe entirely different kinds of wrongs—financial injury and failure to take reasonable care, respectively—so they don’t fit the assault-to-battery escalation. In short, physical violence—actual contact—transforms an assault into battery.