Is it illegal to spank a child?

• A. Yes, illegal in all cases.
• B. It depends on jurisdiction.
• C. No, it is not illegal.
• D. Only if it results in criminal charges.

Answer: (C)

The idea being tested is how the law treats parental discipline. In many places, spanking a child by a parent is not illegal by itself; it’s often considered permissible as a form of reasonable parental discipline as long as it doesn’t cross into abuse or cause injury. That’s why the best answer is that it is not automatically illegal—the legality depends on the context and the laws of the jurisdiction, with abuse or excessive harm crossing into illegal territory.

The other options don’t fit as cleanly: saying it’s illegal in all cases is too absolute and not true in many jurisdictions; saying it depends on jurisdiction is true in reality but the question’s framing points to the general stance; and saying it’s illegal only if it results in criminal charges misstates how legality is determined, since many acts are disallowed or potentially illegal regardless of whether charges are filed.