Which of the following is an accurate description of actus reus in common offences?

• A. The physical act of striking another person; e.g., assault.
• B. The defendant's intention.
• C. The legal consequences only.
• D. The absence of any physical act.

Answer: (A)

Actus reus is the physical element of a crime—the actual conduct that the law punishes. For common offences like assault, the actus reus is the physical act of striking or applying force to another person. This focuses on what the person did, not their state of mind. The other ideas—intent or purpose (mens rea), the legal consequences, or having no physical act at all—don’t describe the physical conduct required for actus reus. So the description of the physical act of striking someone as the actus reus best fits.