what does assignment mean in britain

• Skip to main content
• All Articles
• UK Articles
• UK Applying to university

• Choosing where to study
• Choosing a subject
• Financing your studies
• Getting your visa
• Before you leave
• Housing & accommodation
• Once you arrive
• Post-study life

Understanding the Undergraduate Grading System in the UK

Get a better understanding of the UK's university grading system for undergraduates. Learn the different degree levels from a “First” to a Third class, the pass rates for each and what they will mean for your further studying and career prospects.

Updated to include 21/22 HESA Qualifying Rates.

The British undergraduate degree classification system is a university grading scheme for undergraduate degrees (bachelor's degrees and integrated master's degrees) in the UK. It has been applied in other countries, with slight variations.

When applying to study for an undergraduate degree in the UK, many students are not aware that they have an option to study for a regular degree or a degree with honours. The latter is the most popular degree applied for in the UK. If applying for a bachelor’s degree in science, for example, you will see “Bsc (Hons)” as the qualifications you will receive. The “Hons” states that you will be studying an honours degree for that course. If you were to apply for an ordinary science degree, you will see “Bsc”.

When you study for an ordinary degree, the aim is to pass and achieve a degree in your subject. If you do not pass, you simply do not get a degree. You will not get a failed degree, but you will fail to achieve a degree. It is similar to a driving test, where passing will gain you a license and failing will not give you a licence.

An honours degree will not only give students a degree, but it will specify your level of achievement and speciality in that subject by awarding classifications. For this reason, it is far more popular, as it gives employers an opportunity to understand a graduate’s competency.

The table below shows the different honours degree classifications and their average alternative grading descriptions (it is worth noting that Open University (OU), which is a distance learning university with an open entry policy, has different grade boundaries):

What is a First degree?

First Class Honours degree (1st), commonly known as a “first”. A first class is the highest honours degree achievable. Although it is now usually impossible for students to study two full undergraduate subjects, some universities award “double firsts” when a student achieves a first class degree in two separate subjects, while studying one joint honours degree. The universities of Oxford, Cambridge and Glasgow have been known to award “double firsts”. A first class degree is achievable with very hard work and passion for your subject. Those who achieve this much desired classification are in the strongest position for employment, graduate programmes and acceptance for post-graduate study .

From 2016 to 2021, the percentage of students’ achieving first class honours has increased from 26% to 36% according to the Higher Education Statistics Agency .

What is 2:1 degree?

Second-class honours degree, upper division. A second-class degree is split into two divisions and the higher of the two divisions is the upper second class, commonly known as 2:1 (pronounced “two-one”) and often written as a 2.1. A 2:1 also puts you in a good position for employment, graduate programmes and post graduate study. For some institutions and for some employers, this is the minimum grade acceptable. Like a first class honours, the number of students achieving a 2:1 has increased significantly in the past few years. According to the Higher Education Statistics Agency, 46% of all full-time graduates achieved a 2.1 in the academic year of 2020/21.

What is a 2:2 degree?

Second-class honours, lower division. This is the lower division of a second-class degree. It is commonly known as a 2:2 or (2.2 degree) “Desmond” (as in Desmond “two-two”). A 2:2 degree is often the minimum grade required for most opportunities in employment and further education. In the 2020/21 academic year, 14% of students achieved a 2:2.

Third class

Third-class honours (3rd). Commonly known as a “third”, this degree is the lowest level of honour's degree achievable. Very few graduates achieve a third-class honours. In 2020/21, only 3% of students graduated with a third. Receiving a Third-Class degree is going to severely limit your prospects for postgraduate study, particularly abroad.

Breakdown of qualifiers obtaining each classification in the UK, 2017 to 2022

In some institutions, if an honours student fails to achieve a third class by a small margin, they will be awarded an ordinary degree. Until the 1970s Oxford University awarded fourth class honours.

'Study in the UK' eBook

Enjoy what you’ve read? We’ve condensed the above popular topics about studying in the UK into one handy digital book.

Search for a course

How to apply to study in the UK

  The British education system is one of the most prestigious in the world. A degree from a top UK university will certainly help you to succeed in your chosen career. However, with universities being well-known internationally, this leads to a competitive application process. In this article, we review and simplify the application process so you know exactly what to expect.   Understanding the higher education system in the UK

Are international students eligible for Clearing?

As an international student, it’s possible that you may have heard of a process called clearing. Although you may be aware of it, it may also be true that you’re not entirely sure what clearing is or how it relates to you. We’re here to take you through all aspects of the process, demystify any preconceptions that you may have and equip you with all the necessary knowledge should you go through clearing yourself.   What is clearing?  First

University applications: An admission officers top tips

As an international student getting to grips with the application process can sometimes seem like an uphill battle. You may not be sure what to include with your application, how long it will take to hear back from a university and how best to increase the chances of making a positive impact on the person evaluating your application. With this in mind we decided to pick the brains of those making the decisions, admissions officers. We give you exclusive access to

Undergraduate pathways in the UK

Access or foundation courses enable you to bridge the gap between the qualifications you already have and those required by the UK college or university of your choice. This gap often exists because students in many countries complete 12 years of education before they start university, but in England, Northern Ireland and Wales, they complete 13 years.   International Foundation Year (IFY) programmes offered by colleges in the UK lead to

Get in touch

• Uni Reviews
• Student Guide
• Student stories
• UK Survival Service

This article about how the UK university grading system was updated by the Great British Mag content team on 5 September, 2019

The UK grading system is not terribly different to the grading systems in China , India, USA or the EU. The top grades go to the people who excel and get very high percentages and the pass grades are given to anyone who manages to achieve the minimum grade percentage required. But that is where the similarities end.

Whereas other systems use the alphabet to demonstrate the achievements of the student, the UK system uses a class grade order. This system dates all the way back to the invention of the university itself and reflects the archetype of the British class system .

The UK grading system:

First (1 st ): The best grade you can get. The student has got higher than 70% on their course or assignment. An almost perfect piece of work. You should be very happy with it. The markers definitely were…

2:1 (upper second class): Student achieved between 60%-69%. The work was at a very good level, but there was still room for improvement. Kick back, smile and relax. You’ve done a good job! You will need to get a 2:1 or higher if you’re planning on staying on for a masters or post-graduate degree.

2:2 (lower second class): If you got 50%-59% on a course or assignment, then you have this grade. Even though it is not a perfect score it is still very good. You should still be happy about getting this mark.

Third: If you get between 45%-49%, you need to start thinking about where you went wrong. It’s not the worst mark, but perhaps some tutoring might help next time.

Ordinary degree: The absolute minimum you need to pass the course. Getting between 40%-44% is not where you want to be. You should definitely seek out some extra help if you want to do more than scrape by. Or maybe cut down on the time spent in the pub…

Fail: Anything below 40% constitutes failure. Sorry, but you will need to take the course again to pass.

RELATED ARTICLES MORE FROM AUTHOR

What is freshers week, how many hours can international students work in the uk, the innovator visa – explained, privacy overview, sierra leonian students studying in the uk: the top 10 things..., do universities in the uk have prayer rooms.

• Skip to primary navigation
• Skip to main content
• Skip to primary sidebar
• Skip to footer

Conventus Law

More results...

UK – Legal Terms Explained: Assignment.

April 18, 2023 by Rohin Pujari

What is assignment?

An assignment is the transfer of an interest from one party (“ assignor ”) to another (“ assignee ”). Assignment allows the assignor to transfer the benefit of a contract to the assignee. For example, the tenant of recently built office premises may transfer the benefit of a collateral warranty originally granted in its favour to a subsequent tenant.

Without express words, assignment usually involves an assignment of accrued and future rights. Clear words are required to assign only future rights under a contract ( Energy Works (Hull) Ltd v MW High Tech Projects UK and others  [2020] EWHC 2537 (TCC)).

Assignment in a construction context typically refers to a legal or equitable assignment (although assignment can also occur by other means, e.g. operation of law). A key difference between legal and equitable assignments is that, in the case of a legal assignment, the assignee may enforce any assigned rights in its own name. In contrast, following an equitable assignment, the assignee would need to join the assignor in any action brought to enforce its rights.

To take effect as a legal assignment under English law, an assignment must comply with section 136(1) of the Law of Property Act 1925 (“ LPA 1925 “). This requires the assignment to be: (i) in writing; (ii) absolute; and (iii) expressly notified in writing to the other party to the contract (“ debtor “). In practice, parties tend to effect a legal assignment by way of an assignment agreement or deed of assignment to ensure that these requirements are satisfied.

However, if the parties fail to meet any of the requirements set out in LPA 1925 the assignment will usually have equitable effect. Equitable assignments may arise orally or in writing, and whilst recommended, there is no need to notify the debtor, provided a clear intention to assign can be established. Neither legal nor equitable assignments generally require the debtor’s consent.

  Assignment v novation

Although both terms are sometimes used interchangeably, assignment should be distinguished from novation. The most notable difference is that assignment only transfers the benefit of a contract (e.g. a warranty that works have been carried out to the required standard), whereas a novation transfers both the benefit and the burden (e.g. an obligation to pay for a service). As novation also requires the consent of all parties, it will typically be effected by a tripartite agreement between the novating party, the party to whom the contract is to be novated, and the counterparty to the relevant contract.

  Some issues concerning assignment

• Restrictions on assignment  – Unless there is an express prohibition in the contract, the parties will usually be free to assign the benefit of a contract. However, many standard form building contracts, including the JCT Design and Build Contract, prohibit assignment, or allow it only subject to certain conditions. In this regard, a developer may seek to amend the contract to reduce any restrictions on their ability to assign. In contrast, a contractor may seek to limit any rights to assign, for example by specifying the number of permitted assignments. This is often linked to the contractor’s professional indemnity insurance terms which may provide for restricted cover in respect of successive assignments.
• Ineffective assignment where prohibited  – If a party purports to assign a right in contravention of an assignment clause, the assignment will only be effective as between the assignee and the assignor, and will not be enforceable against the debtor.
• Means of assignment  – A clause in a contract permitting assignment is not sufficient to effect an assignment. There must be a separate document or oral agreement to show the assignor’s intention to assign ( Allied Carpets Group Plc v Macfarlane (t/a Whicheloe Macfarlane Partnership)  [2002] EWHC 1155 (TCC)).

* This is an updated version of an article originally published as part of the ‘Legal Terms Explained’ series of  Construction Law .

For further information, please contact:

James Doe , Partner, Herbert Smith Freehills

[email protected]

Register for your monthly Asia legal updates from Conventus Law

Error: Contact form not found.

Vietnam – Updates On Law On Residential Housing 2023 And Law On Real Estate Business 2023.

Six LegalTech Trends In 2024.

- joão costa - legal consultant & legal project manager, korum legal.

Understanding Legal Design: A Key Transformation For The Legal Industry.

CONVENTUS LAW

CONVENTUS DOCS CONVENTUS PEOPLE

3/f, Chinachem Tower 34-37 Connaught Road Central, Central, Hong Kong

[email protected]

• Cambridge Dictionary +Plus

Meaning of assignment in Essential English Dictionary

Your browser doesn't support HTML5 audio

(Definition of assignment from the Cambridge Essential Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)

Translations of assignment

Get a quick, free translation!

Word of the Day

Punch and Judy show

a traditional children's entertainment in which a man, Mr Punch, argues with his wife, Judy. It was especially popular in the past as entertainment in British towns by the sea in summer.

Paying attention and listening intently: talking about concentration

Learn more with +Plus

• Recent and Recommended {{#preferredDictionaries}} {{name}} {{/preferredDictionaries}}
• Definitions Clear explanations of natural written and spoken English English Learner’s Dictionary Essential British English Essential American English
• Grammar and thesaurus Usage explanations of natural written and spoken English Grammar Thesaurus
• Pronunciation British and American pronunciations with audio English Pronunciation
• English–Chinese (Simplified) Chinese (Simplified)–English
• English–Chinese (Traditional) Chinese (Traditional)–English
• English–Dutch Dutch–English
• English–French French–English
• English–German German–English
• English–Indonesian Indonesian–English
• English–Italian Italian–English
• English–Japanese Japanese–English
• English–Norwegian Norwegian–English
• English–Polish Polish–English
• English–Portuguese Portuguese–English
• English–Spanish Spanish–English
• English–Swedish Swedish–English
• Dictionary +Plus Word Lists
• Essential British English    Noun
• Translations
• All translations

Add assignment to one of your lists below, or create a new one.

{{message}}

Something went wrong.

There was a problem sending your report.

Essays: task words

Written Assignments

Explore what different task words mean and how they apply to your assignments

You'll need to understand what your assignments are asking you to do throughout your studies. Your assessments use 'task words' that explain what you need to do in your work.  

Task words are the words or phrases in a brief that tell you what to do. Common examples of task words are 'discuss', 'evaluate', 'compare and contrast', and 'critically analyse'. These words are used in assessment marking criteria and will showcase how well you've answered the question.

None of these words have a fixed meaning. Your lecturers may have specific definitions for your subject or task so you should make sure you have a good idea of what these terms mean in your field. You can check this by speaking to your lecturer, checking your course handbook and reading your marking criteria carefully.

Task words and descriptions

• Account for : Similar to ‘explain’ but with a heavier focus on reasons why something is or is not the way it is.
• Analyse : This term has the widest range of meanings according to the subject. Make a justified selection of some of the essential features of an artefact, idea or issue. Examine how these relate to each other and to other ideas, in order to help better understand the topic. See ideas and problems in different ways, and provide evidence for those ways of seeing them. 
• Assess : This has very different meanings in different disciplines. Measure or evaluate one or more aspect of something (for example, the effectiveness, significance or 'truth' of something). Show in detail the outcomes of these evaluations.
• Compare : Show how two or more things are similar.
• Compare and contrast : Show similarities and differences between two or more things.
• Contrast : Show how two or more things are different.
• Critically analyse : As with analysis, but questioning and testing the strength of your and others’ analyses from different perspectives. This often means using the process of analysis to make the whole essay an objective, reasoned argument for your overall case or position.
• Critically assess : As with “assess”, but emphasising your judgments made about arguments by others, and about what you are assessing from different perspectives. This often means making the whole essay a reasoned argument for your overall case, based on your judgments.
• Critically evaluate : As with 'evaluate', but showing how judgments vary from different perspectives and how some judgments are stronger than others. This often means creating an objective, reasoned argument for your overall case, based on the evaluation from different perspectives.
• Define : Present a precise meaning. 
• Describe : Say what something is like. Give its relevant qualities. Depending on the nature of the task, descriptions may need to be brief or the may need to be very detailed.
• Discuss : Provide details about and evidence for or against two or more different views or ideas, often with reference to a statement in the title. Discussion often includes explaining which views or ideas seem stronger.
• Examine : Look closely at something. Think and write about the detail, and question it where appropriate.
• Explain : Give enough description or information to make something clear or easy to understand.
• Explore : Consider an idea or topic broadly, searching out related and/or particularly relevant, interesting or debatable points.
• Evaluate : Similar to “assess”, this often has more emphasis on an overall judgement of something, explaining the extent to which it is, for example, effective, useful, or true. Evaluation is therefore sometimes more subjective and contestable than some kinds of pure assessment.
• Identify : Show that you have recognised one or more key or significant piece of evidence, thing, idea, problem, fact, theory, or example.
• Illustrate : Give selected examples of something to help describe or explain it, or use diagrams or other visual aids to help describe or explain something.
• Justify : Explain the reasons, usually “good” reasons, for something being done or believed, considering different possible views and ideas.
• Outline : Provide the main points or ideas, normally without going into detail.
• Summarise : This is similar to 'outline'. State, or re-state, the most important parts of something so that it is represented 'in miniature'. It should be concise and precise.
• State : Express briefly and clearly. 

Download our essay task words revision sheet

Download this page as a PDF for your essay writing revision notes.

Writing: flow and coherence

Writing clear sentences

Explore our top tips for writing clear sentences and download our help sheet.

Find an undergraduate or postgraduate degree course that suits you at Portsmouth.

Guidance and support

Find out about the guidance and support you'll get if you need a helping hand with academic life – or life in general – when you study with us at Portsmouth.

Academic & Employability Skills

Subscribe to academic & employability skills.

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 397 other subscribers.

Email Address

Understanding instruction words in academic essay titles

Posted in: essay-writing

Instruction or command words indicate what your tutor wants you to do in your written assignment. It's vital that you understand exactly what these instruction words mean so you can answer all parts of the essay question and provide a complete response.

Here's a list of some of the most common instruction/command words you'll see in essay questions (and examination questions as well), together with an explanation of what they mean.

Describe: Give a detailed account of…

Outline: Give the main features/general principles; don't include minor details.

Explain, account for, interpret: Describe the facts but also give causes and reasons for them. Depending on the context, these words may also suggest that you need to make the possible implications clear as well. For example: 'Explain X and its importance for Y'.

Comment on, criticise, evaluate, critically evaluate, assess: Judge the value of something. But first, analyse, describe and explain. Then go through the arguments for and against, laying out the arguments neutrally until the section where you make your judgement clear. Judgements should be backed by reasons and evidence.

Discuss, consider: The least specific of the instruction words. Decide, first of all, what the main issues are. Then follow the same procedures for Comment on, Criticise, Evaluate, Critically Evaluate and Assess.

Analyse: Break down into component parts. Examine critically or closely.

How far, how true, to what extent: These suggest there are various views on and various aspects to the subject. Outline some of them, evaluate their strengths and weaknesses, explore alternatives and then give your judgement.

Justify: Explain, with evidence, why something is the case, answering the main objections to your view as you go along.

Refute: Give evidence to prove why something is not the case.

Compare, contrast, distinguish, differentiate, relate: All require that you discuss how things are related to each other.  Compare suggests you concentrate on similarities, which may lead to a stated preference, the justification of which should be made clear. These words suggest that two situations or ideas can be compared in a number of different ways, or from a variety of viewpoints. Contrast suggests you concentrate on differences.

Define: Write down the precise meaning of a word or phrase. Sometimes several co-existing definitions may be used and, possibly, evaluated.

Illustrate: Make clear and explicit; usually requires the use of carefully chosen examples.

State: Give a concise, clear explanation or account of…

Summarise: Give a concise, clear explanation or account of… presenting the main factors and excluding minor detail or examples (see also Outline).

Trace: Outline or follow the development of something from its initiation or point of origin.

Devise: Think up, work out a plan, solve a problem etc.

Apply (to): Put something to use, show how something can be used in a particular situation.

Identify: Put a name to, list something.

Indicate: Point out. This does not usually involve giving too much detail.

List: Make a list of a number of things. This usually involves simply remembering or finding out a number of things and putting them down one after the other.

Plan: Think about how something is to be done, made, organised, etc.

Report on: Describe what you have seen or done.

Review: Write a report on something.

Specify: Give the details of something.

Work out: Find a solution to a problem.

Adapted from: Coles, M. (1995), A Student’s Guide to Coursework Writing,   University of Stirling, Stirling 

Share this:

• Click to print (Opens in new window)
• Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)

Click here to cancel reply.

• Email * (we won't publish this)

Write a response

So wonderful can anyone get the information

Thanks Josphat!

This is a life saver, do you have a youtube channel where you talk about all this stuff? If so I would love to know about it 🙂 Rachelle

Hi Rachelle, Thanks for your comment. We don't have a youtube channel but stay tuned for more posts and also check out the new My-skills portal (go.bath.ac.uk/My-skills) for lots more skills support. Tom

Quite helpful. I would definitely check this before my next essay.

Thank you, Dan.

Very helpful now I understand how construct my assignments and how to answer exam questions

I have understood it clearly;)

it is very useful for us to understand many instruction word and what we need to write down

There are some define of some words,and I find that there do have many common things for some words,but not all the same.Such as compare, contrast, distinguish, differentiate, relate,they all need people to compare but foucs on different ways.

Very helpful. Listed most of the words that might be misunderstood by foreign students. Now I know why my score of writing IELTS test is always 6, I even didn't get the point of what I was supposed to write!

I have already read all of this. And it gave me a brief instruction.

There are varied instruction words in essay questions. It's a good chance for me to have a overview of these main command words because I could response to requirements of questions precisely and without the risk of wandering off the topic.

When i encounter with an essay title with these instruction words above,I should understand exactly what these words mean so that i could know what my tutor would like me to do in the assignments.Also,these words may help me make an outline and read academic articles with percific purposes.

These words are accurate and appropriate. It is really helpful for me to response some assignment questions and I can know the orientation of my answers . I can also use these words to make an outline of my essay. However, in my view, for some instruction words which are confusing and hard to understand, it is better to give an example to help us understand.

It's the first time for me to recognise these instruction words , some of them are really similar with each other.

it is very helpful to my future study. it will be better to have some examples with it.

How to navigate Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) tools with confidence and integrity

Artificial intelligence (AI) is advancing rapidly, and new Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) tools like ChatGPT, Claude, Elicit, Perplexity, Bard and Bing are now easily accessible online. As university students, how can you incorporate these emerging technologies into your studies and campus...

8 ways to beat procrastination

Whether you’re writing an assignment or revising for exams, getting started can be hard. Fortunately, there’s lots you can do to turn procrastination into action.

What I learnt from a skills enrichment workshop on feedback

If your course is largely essay-based (like mine is with Politics and International Relations) you’ll understand the frustration of receiving the same feedback on your assignments – over and over and over again.

UK Grading System Guide 2024: Everything You Need To Know!

Link Copied

Share on Facebook

Share on Twitter

Share on LinkedIn

Ace it as you face it!

Were you the one student who worried excessively about your grades? Although we recognise your concerns and anxiety, you should know how different grading systems, like the US grading system, Australian grading system, and others, may differ from institution to institution within the same nation. Given its prestigious universities, quality education, and assurance of a high standard of grade system to establish a benchmark globally, the UK is a popular destination for students worldwide. In this blog, we decode the UK grading system and UK grading scale, student assessment, the differences between the British grading system vs American, and much more to help you better navigate through your education in the UK.

What is the UK Grading System?

Did you know that universities in the UK have a unique UK grading system? The UK grading system is a numerical or alphabetical scale used to evaluate students' performance in schools, colleges, and universities. The UK grading system is consistent across England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, whereas the Scottish grading system differs from all three. The carefully designed UK grading system considers factors other than academic performance, such as a student's participation in extracurricular activities.

It's one of the reasons the British grading system and higher education is so well-regarded around the world. Moreover, many countries have adopted the UK grading system or a variation of it. When you're looking to study abroad, familiarising yourself with the university grading system in the UK you want to attend is important. Remember that if you plan to study in the UK, you need to know everything about studying in the UK and applying for a UK visa; check out the UK student visa to know more. This way, you'll know how to convert your grades and see how they measure up to the requirements. Don't stress, though! We've got you covered. Here is everything you need to know about the UK grading system. 

How are UK university students assessed?

The students in the UK grading system are assessed using various methods, such as:

1. Exams - These assessments review the student's knowledge 2. Coursework - This assessment is practical or written and includes reports, projects, lab reports, and presentations. 3. Oral - Here, they check the student's ability to communicate their thoughts and ideas effectively. 4. Practical - This assessment checks the student's ability to utilise theoretical knowledge in practical solutions. 5. Portfolios - This is a form of assessment that combines a student's work throughout their course. This kind of assessment is found in art or fashion programs. 6. Dissertations - It's a big research project that students usually have to submit in their final year of study. Want to know the best ways to get started? Please read through our blog on the 10 Tips on Writing a Dissertation and find your way!

What is GCSE?

GCSE stands for General Certificate of Secondary Education . These are the qualifications obtained by fifteen and sixteen-year-olds in the UK at the end of their Year 11 schooling. GCSEs provide a uniform framework for assessment in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Schools in Scotland pursue Scottish Qualifications Certificates, and chosen subjects are studied over two years and assessed by final exams or coursework.

While students have the scope to choose some of their GCSE options, several subjects are obligatory. These are known as core subjects and include- Maths, English Literature, English Language, and Science (in varying forms). GCSE syllabuses are set, examinations administered, and certificates awarded by five primary examination boards: 

1. AQA  (Assessment and Qualifications Alliance) 2. CCEA (Council for the Curriculum Examinations and Assessment) 3. Edexcel 4. OCR (Oxford, Cambridge and RSA) 5. WJEC (The Welsh Joint Education Committee) These are overseen by regulatory authorities to ensure parity between schools using a different exam board.

Looking for the best student accomodation in UK? Amber has your back!

Book through amber today!

Understanding the 9-1 GCSE UK Grading System

The United Kingdom implemented the 9-1 grading system to replace the A* G system. This updated grading system aims to offer evaluations of students' performance and better reflect their accomplishments. First, let's understand the UK grading scale of 9-1 GCSE UK grading system:

The 9-1 GCSE UK grading system provides more differentiation at the top end of the scale, allowing universities and employers to distinguish between high-achieving students more effectively. A grade that is 4 or higher is recognised as a "pass," which is approximately similar to the previous C grade. A grade of 5 or higher is viewed as a "pass." Grades 9, 8, and 7 are considered comparable to the systems A* and A grades. The UK grading system is used in various fields, including ancient languages (classical Greek and Latin), art and design, biology, chemistry, citizenship studies, combined science (double award), history, and geography.

Understanding the undergraduate UK Grading System

The UK grading system is quite particular in how it assigns grades, implying that not all students who achieved an A are in the same class as you. The many components necessary for an individual's entire growth are taken into consideration when evaluating a student's overall performance in view. Although narrowing it down to the grades, the Undergraduate UK grading system is split into three major categories, which are further explained as follows:

1. First Class Degree

As per the UK grading system, a First Class Degree is the highest you can score during the undergraduate Degree and requires students to have a total score greater than 70%. It is also called a UK distinction grade. A first-class degree is highly valued in the UK grading system since it suggests that the student thoroughly understands the subject's material and content. Your prowess in a particular field is crucial to your career, especially your course of interest. A first-class degree with a UK distinction grade is also known as the First and is considered the most outstanding achievement in the undergraduate course. 

2. Second Class Degree

According to the UK grading system, the second-class Degree is further segregated into two categories - 

• Upper Second Class Degree , named 2:1, represents that the student has scored somewhere between 60-69%. However, because of the tough competition in the present times, first-class degree holders are captivating the opportunity market. This UK grading system says that you have performed well but can still work on and strive to develop yourself in numerous ways.
• Lower Second Class Degree , known as 2:2, comes right after the upper second-class Degree, which shows that your score ranges around 50%-59% according to the UK grading system. It indicates that you need to put in a lot of effort to improve your knowledge and understanding of the relevant subject because it is slightly below the upper second-class Degree. 

3. Third Class Degree‍

In the UK grading system, this is the lowest score an undergraduate candidate can achieve. Students who earn between 40% and 49% receive a third-class degree. Having this Degree indicates you have a lot of room to grow, so you should start advancing yourself and your field knowledge. Although we know you're a champ and that you would be scoring more than this and won't fall in this category. 

There was a Fourth Class Degree in the UK grading system offered by a few universities there, including Oxford University . A student who narrowly missed earning a Third Class Degree is now granted an ordinary degree marked Pass.

Dive deeper into the intricacies of the UK grading system with our comprehensive PDF guide. Uncover the nuances that set it apart from the US grading system, explore recent changes and reforms, and discover how these shifts are revolutionizing education.

Download now and explore the UK Grading System more in-depth.

Start Today!

Master's Grading System in the UK 

The postgraduate Master's grading system in the UK is slightly different compared to the scheme used for undergraduate degrees. If you are planning your Master's in the UK, make sure you understand their process. The Master's grading system in the UK differs from all the countries worldwide. Like the undergraduate Degree, postgraduate degrees offer grades using four levels:

1. Distinction : When students receive a distinction grade UK, they are considered to have achieved a master's degree score of at least 70%. 2. Merit: Students who receive grades from 60% to 69% are granted a merit grade. 3. Pass: Passing is defined as having an overall grade between 50% and 59%. 4. Borderline Pass/ Fail : As the name implies, this category includes students who narrowly avoid failing or passing but receive a score between 40% to 49%.

The Master's grading system UK also depends upon the type of Master's course you are pursuing. The three most popular categories of Masters in the UK are as follows:

1. Integrated Master's Degree

This is an integrated degree that combines both a graduate and postgraduate Degree. It generally consists of three years of undergraduate and one year of postgraduate study. This means that when you apply for an undergraduate degree, you are already aware of the Master's you will pursue post that. This is a more specialised qualification and a commitment for four years. The grade is given as follows:

1. Distinction: Minimum 70% 2. Merit: Between 60% to 69% 3. Pass: Between 50% to 59% 4. Borderline Pass/ Fail: Between 40% to 49%

2. Taught Master's Degree 

The main components of this Master's program include lectures, seminars, and tutorials. The public speaking requirements of this course may seem intimidating at first, but we assure you that you will become more confident with practice! These courses usually include research and dissertation elements, making it essential for you to work around the year. 

The grades provided in a taught master's Degree typically go as fail, pass, merit, and distinction and usually have the same percentage and markings as an Integrated master's Degree. However, a taught master's Degree often calls for 180 credits of study, which includes modules, dissertations, assignments, and research. The number of credits you get for each module varies from 10 to 30, depending on the quantity and quality of the work.

3. Master's Degree Research (MRes)

Considering pursuing a Master's in research? The Credit Accumulation and Transfer Scheme, similar to the Taught Master's Degree, is the standard credit structure for MRes. The course's research component might result in 160 credits, 20 of which would be given for training. The overall course may include one single research and dissertation or multiple projects at the same time. The grading is usually done as Pass or fail, but usually some universities also offer UK distinction Grade as a classification for students who score higher than 70%. Want more in-depth information on the degrees in the UK? These types of degrees in the UK guide will answer every question you have regarding the different degrees in the UK.

Difference between the US and UK grading systems

The main difference between the UK vs US grading system is that exams and things like your dissertation or work you produce for the final semester of your course are given a lot more weight than GPA, which is an amalgamation of your marks over the academic year. To understand the UK grading system vs US better, remember this: the United Kingdom uses letter grades, but not in the same way that the United States does. In the UK, an A is anything above 70%, rather than each letter representing 10%. And each letter after that represents a 10% reduction. A failing grade is also unique. For example, a score of less than 59% in the United Kingdom is sufficient to obtain an undergraduate or postgraduate Degree. This, however, is not possible in the United States. If you’d like to know more about how the grading system works in the US, have a look at our Comprehensive Guide On The US Grading System In 2024 , and you’ll be able to make a quicker decision on where you’d like to study!

UK Grading System and ECTS Grades

The UK grading system used in higher education institutions is based on a UK grading scale that ranges from A* to E for undergraduate degrees and A to D for postgraduate degrees. The A* to E scale is further divided into subgrades such as A*, A, B, C, D, and E, where A* is the highest grade, and E is the lowest passing grade. 

The European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS) grades are a system used in Europe to facilitate academic recognition to study period qualifications. The ECTS grading scale ranges from A to E, with A being the highest grade and E being the lowest passing grade.

It's important to note that while the UK and ECTS grading systems may have similar grades, the criteria for earning each can differ from institution to institution and from country to country. Therefore, students need to understand the specific grading criteria for their program and university.

University and College Admission Service Point (UCAS)

UCAS Points, which are also known as UCAS Tariff Points, are an adjacent way to measure and compare the achievements of a student studying in the UK. These points are basically assessed by the university grading system UK to ensure the suitability of a student for their chosen course. These points assign a numerical value to the different qualifications and grades, making it convenient for the universities to make a fair and uniform comparison among applicants.

It directly impacts the UK grading system as it provides a common metric to compare diverse qualifications. As the UCAS points assign a number to different qualifications and grades of the students, universities and colleges in the UK usually set their entry and admission parameters based on the same factor.

For instance, a grade B might only be worth 100 UCAS points, but an A might be worth 120. Institutions can establish uniform standards and make unbiased judgments about which candidates fit their requirements by establishing the number of UCAS points necessary for admission. Want to know more about UCAS? Here is our comprehensive to help you understand what UCAS is all about !

Top UK Universities

Knowing that the UK is home to some of the most outstanding universities in the world will make your decision to study there worthwhile. They are well known for offering a top-notch education to foster students' personal and professional development. The leading global universities in the UK are listed below.

1. University of Oxford ‍ 2. University of Cambridge ‍ 3. University College London ‍ 4. Imperial College London ‍ 5. University of Edinburgh ‍ 6. King's College London ‍ 7. University of Manchester ‍ 8. University of Glasgow ‍ 9. University of Birmingham ‍ 10. University of Bristol

Thus, the UK grading system is intricate for distributing grades and rewarding diligent students. Therefore, even though everything feels overwhelming and too much right now, you won't feel as overwhelmed when you get there if you are well-prepared. We have tried to give you the crucial advice you need in this detailed article so that you can prepare and achieve your Degree. Now that you are planning to study in the UK, make sure you know you do your research on the highest paying jobs.

Simplify your student accommodation search with amber!

If you're a student planning to study in the UK, finding suitable accommodation might be a concern. Explore the amazing student accommodation in the UK to discover your ideal student housing. As now you know the UK grading system it is also important you know more about the entrance exams required to get into the top universities in the UK. You can read more on our exam preparation blog.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the gcse grading system, is a 70 an a in the uk grading system, how do i convert my uk grade to gpa, what is a merit grade in the uk grading system, what is a distinction grade uk, what is the uk grading scale.

Your ideal student home & a flight ticket awaits

Follow us on :

amber © 2023. All rights reserved.

4.8/5 on Trustpilot

Rated as "Excellent" • 4700+ Reviews by Students

Understanding your assignment questions: A short guide

• Introduction
• Breaking down the question

Directive or task words

Task works for science based essays.

• Further reading and references

It is really important to understand the directive or task word used in your assignment.

This will indicate how you should write and what the purpose of the assignment in. The following examples show some task words and their definitions.

However, it is important to note that none of these words has a fixed meaning. The definitions given are a general guide, and interpretation of the words may vary according to the context and the discipline.

If you are unsure as the exactly what a lecturer means by a particular task word, you should ask for clarification. 

Analyse : Break up into parts; investigate

Comment on : Identify and write about the main issues; give your reactions based on what you've read/ heard in lectures. Avoid just personal opinion. 

Compare : Look for the similarities between two things. Show the relevance or consequences of these similarities concluding which is preferable. 

Contrast : Identify the differences between two items or arguments. Show whether the differences are significant. Perhaps give reasons why one is preferable. 

Criticise : Requires an answer that points out mistakes or weaknesses, and which also indicates any favourable aspects of the subject of the question. It requires a balanced answer. 

Critically evaluate : Weigh arguments for and against something, assessing the strength of the evidence on both sides. Use criteria to guide your assessment of which opinions, theories, models or items are preferable. 

Define : Give the exact meaning of. Where relevant, show you understand how the definition may be problematic. 

Describe : To describe is to give an observational account of something and would deal with what happened, where it happened, when it happened and who was involved. Spell out the main aspects of an idea or topic or the sequence in which a series of things happened. 

Discuss : Investigate or examine by argument; sift and  debate; give reasons for and against; examine the implications. 

Evaluate : Assess and give your judgement about the merit, importance or usefulness of something using evidence to support your argument. 

Examine : Look closely into something

Explain : Offer a detailed and exact rationale behind an idea or principle, or a set of reasons for a situation or attitude. Make clear how and why something happens. 

Explore : Examine thoroughly; consider from a variety of viewpoints

Illustrate : Make something clear and explicit, give examples of evidence

Justify : Give evidence that supports and argument or idea; show why a decision or conclusions were made

Outline : Give the main points/features/general principles; show the main structure and interrelations; omit details and examples

State : Give the main features briefly and clearly

Summarise : Draw out the main points only; omit details and examples

To what extent... : Consider how far something is true, or contributes to a final outcome. Consider also ways in which it is not true.

Task Words:

How to write e.g., discuss, argue etc.

Subject Matter:

What you should be writing about.

Limiting Words:

May narrow or change the focus of your answer. (Important - they stop you from including irrelevant info)

Below are some examples of questions and tips on how you might think about answering them.

Compare acute and chronic pain in terms of pathophysiology and treatment

Compare  - Make sure you are comparing and not just describing the two things in isolation

Acute and chronic pain  - Subject matter

In terms of pathophysiology and treatment  - Important limiting phrase - focus ONLY on these things. Use them as a lens to highlight the differences between acute and chronic pain.

Tip : Assignments that ask you to compare two things can be structured in different ways. You may choose to alternate continually between the two things, making direct comparisons and organising your essay according to themes. Alternatively, you may choose to discuss one thing fully and then the next. If you choose the second approach, you must make the links and comparisons between the two things completely clear. 

With reference to any particular example enzyme, outline the key structural and functional properties of its active site

With reference to any particular example enzyme  - Important limiting phase - focus your answer on a specific example. Use this example to help demonstrate your understanding. 

Outline  - Factual description is needed. You must demonstrate your knowledge and understanding. 

The key structural and functional properties of its active site  - Subject matter

Tip : Assignments that ask you to outline or describe are assessing your understanding of the topic. You must express facts clearly and precisely, using examples to illuminate them. 

There is no convincing evidence for the existence of life outside our solar systems

There is  - Task words not so obvious this time. Try turning the title into a question: 'Is there any convincing evidence for...?'

Convincing  - Important limiting word- there may be evidence but you need to assess whether or not it is convincing. 

For the existence of life outside of our solar system  - Subject matter

Tip : Assignment titles that are on actually a question are often simply asking 'how true is this statement?' You must present reasons it could be true and reasons it might not be, supported by evidence and recognising the complexity of the statement. 

To what extent can nuclear power provide a solution to environmental issues?

Discuss  - Explore the topic from different angles, in a critical way (not purely descriptive)

Nuclear power  - Subject matter

Provide a solution to  - Limiting phrase: discuss ways it can and ways it can't- don't be afraid to take a position based on evidence.

Environmental issues  - Subject matter. Might be an idea to define/ discuss what could be meant by environmental issues? This might be important for your argument. 

Tip : If an assignment is asking a direct question, make sure your essay answers it. Address it directly in the introduction, make sure each paragraph contributes something towards your response to it, and reinforce your response in your conclusion. 

Discuss the issue of patient autonomy in relation to at least one case study 

The issue of patient autonomy  - Subject matter

In relation to at least one case study  - Important limiting phrase - don't just discuss the issue of patient autonomy in general; discuss it in the context of one or more case studies. You should use the case study to illustrate all of your points about patient autonomy. 

Tip : Assignments that ask you to discuss in relation to a case study, or to a placement or own experience, usually want to see a clear link between theory and practice (reality). 

• << Previous: Breaking down the question
• Next: Further reading and references >>
• Last Updated: Nov 13, 2023 4:28 PM
• URL: https://libguides.bham.ac.uk/asc/understandingassignments

• Practical Law

If a contract is silent on assignment does the law imply that the assignment can only take place with consent?

Practical law resource id a-014-2191  (approx. 3 pages).

• General Contract and Boilerplate
• United Kingdom

• Arabic Near fluent
• French (France)
• English (UK)
• English (US)

How do you say this in English (UK)? what does assignment means ? See a translation

• Report copyright infringement

• Spanish (Colombia) Near fluent

What does assignment mean?

Was this answer helpful?

• Why did you respond with "Hmm..."?
• Your feedback will not be shown to other users.

• English (UK) Near fluent
• Simplified Chinese (China)
• Traditional Chinese (Hong Kong)

• How do you say this in English (UK)? What does endeavor mean?
• How do you say this in English (UK)? what does provision mean?
• How do you say this in English (UK)? what is bekaar meaning?
• How do you say this in English (UK)? what is meaning summarizing
• How do you say this in English (UK)? what does it mean ? it's out of service
• What is the difference between assignment and task ?
• Kindly find the attached are my assignments (in email composing) Does this sound natural?
• Could you help me with my assignment? Check my answers, please. I have to complete the following...
• How do you say this in English (UK)? What adjective is used to describe sausage or cheese left un...
• How do you say this in English (UK)? Faith
• How do you say this in English (UK)? jab tum free ho mujhe call kar lena
• How do you say this in English (UK)? この次を左へ曲がってください
• How do you say this in English (UK)? Allah apko aur kamyab kare
• How do you say this in English (US)? テストの丸つけ中に生徒に「正解」「間違い」「惜しい」
• How do you say this in English (US)? Hi im raha
• How do you say this in English (US)? hola como se dice soy nuevo, necesito ayuda
• How do you say this in English (US)? 美味しそう！って思ったり言う時って『looks delicious』と『It looks yummy』と『It smel...
• How do you say this in English (US)? ‎私は皆さんを応援するために来ました。皆さんの夢は必ず叶います。あきらめないで、希望を持ちつづけてください、そして自分を...
• How do you say this in English (US)? 緊急事態宣言
• How do you say this in English (US)? こんにちは
• How do you say this in English (US)? もどかしい
• How do you say this in English (US)? todo bien
• How do you say this in English (US)? Que es lo más interesante que has escuchado antes
• How do you say this in Arabic? I love you
• What is the difference between I hate to impose. and I would hate to impose. ?

The Language Level symbol shows a user's proficiency in the languages they're interested in. Setting your Language Level helps other users provide you with answers that aren't too complex or too simple.

Has difficulty understanding even short answers in this language.

Can ask simple questions and can understand simple answers.

Can ask all types of general questions and can understand longer answers.

Can understand long, complex answers.

Show your appreciation in a way that likes and stamps can't.

By sending a gift to someone, they will be more likely to answer your questions again!

If you post a question after sending a gift to someone, your question will be displayed in a special section on that person’s feed.

Solve your problems more easily with the app!

• Find the answer you're looking for from 45 million answers logged!
• Enjoy the auto-translate feature when searching for answers!
• It’s FREE!!

• How do you say this in ...

Hall Ellis Solicitors

assignment of contract rights, novation and assignment clauses

Assignment of contract rights .

There is no such thing as an assignment of a contract.

It was held in Linden Gardens Trust Ltd v Lenesta Sludge Disposals Ltd  1993 UKHL 4 (22 July 1993):

It is trite law that it is, in any event, impossible to assign "the contract" as a whole, i.e. including both burden and benefit. The burden of a contract can never be assigned without the consent of the other party to the contract in which event such consent will give rise to a novation. Although it is true that the phrase "assign this contract" is not strictly accurate, lawyers frequently use those words inaccurately to describe an assignment of the benefit of a contract since every lawyer knows that the burden of a contract cannot be assigned.

In short, contracts are not assigned:

• ownership of assets is assigned.
• Contractual rights are transferred. They're novated.

So when it comes to “assigning” (ie transferring or novating) contracts, there are 3 possibilities:

• Transfer all or part of the burden of the contract to another person. This is novation
• Assign all or part of the benefit of the contract to another person
• Transfer the whole of the benefit and the burden to another person. This is also novation.

The general law does not require any particular formality to novation.

Where a supplier notifies a contracting partner that they will be replaced by another supplier, and then starts to receive supply from the new supplier without objection or complaint, there's a good chance the contract has been novated.

That's acceptance of a new contract (and termination of the old contract) by conduct.

When businesses enter administration or liquidation, potential purchasers might express an interest in “acquiring the contracts” of the business. That requires novation of each contract, individually.

Novation is a fundamental principle of contract law, and is closely related to privity of contract . It's pretty difficult to understand one without the other.

What do "Assignment Clauses" in Contract do then?

Assignment clauses either:

• confirm the general operation of the law - ie no transfers of contractual rights. It expressly prohibits or enables transfers of the burden or the benefit of the contract.
• displace or override the general rule of law of novation, in favour of one party or both parties.

Do you need one or not?  That depends.

Context of Assignment Clauses

Contracts impose strict liability on the contracting parties to perform their legal obligations. 

It means this: if a seller does not perform what they are required to do under the contract to the standard fixed by the contract, they’re in breach of contract , and liable to make good on a legal remedy for breach.  Likewise, if a buyer does not do what they are legally required to do, they’re in breach of contract, and facing the same consequences .

For example, take a company supplying SaaS related services:

The SaaS supplier hosts its SaaS solution in the cloud for its customers.  The SaaS supplier doesn't own its own infrastructure for the hosting. It subcontracts the hosting to a dedicated hosting company, such as Rackspace. That subcontracting doesn't relieve the SaaS supplier from its obligations to perform the contract: in this example, host the SaaS solution in the cloud to its own customers. Using Rackspace to host the SaaS solution is just a delegation of the contractual duty of the SaaS supplier to provide services to the customer. If the hosting fails, the SaaS supplier is liable to its customers for the breach of contract. Not Rackspace.

Assignment clauses permit transfer of contractual obligations to perform the burden of the contract to third parties. So, where the obligation to perform is assigned to a third party and it's not performed, it will be the party that has taken over the burden of the contract (ie the assignee) that will be liable to the customer. Not the original contracting party (which would be the SaaS supplier in the example above).

The end result is that one of the original contracting parties is no longer a party to the contract: that’s novation. 

Example: Assignment Clause

A boilerplate provision to prevent assignment of the benefit and burden in a contract might be:

Neither party may without the prior written consent of the other party assign a benefit or obligation imposed in this Agreement.

The reference to “obligation” is usually redundant, because it can't be transferred without the consent of the other party in the first place.

Contract Assignments vs Subcontracting

Assignment clauses shouldn't be confused with subcontracting clauses .

The general law provides that a contracting party is entitled to subcontract works to a third person, unless there is a contractual restriction preventing it.

It would be quite a mistake to regard that as an "assignment" of the obligations under the contract.

It isn't a transfer of the contract, or any part of the burden of the contract.

It's a delegation .

Subcontracting performance of contractual obligations:

• is permitted where personal performance is not required to produce the result intended by the contract
• means performance by the subcontractor will discharge the principal contracting party's obligations.
• The principal contracting party remains liable if the subcontractor does not complete performance on behalf of the principal contracting party. 
• Boilerplate Clauses
• Who are you actually contracting with? Separate Legal Entities
• Increasing Liability for Breach of Contract: Indemnities 

Contract Law Solicitors

Contract law can be tricky. Sometimes it's matter of seeing what has happened before when parties have tried to transfer a contract to ascertain what is likely to happen in the case at hand.

Transferring contract rights and obligations can be a serious business. Getting it wrong can mean a party is in breach of contract,  leading to termination and damages claims. 

If you're in business and need legal advice on a contract, call +44 20 7036 9282 to speak for an initial chat with one of our contract law solicitors or email your enquiry to [email protected] .

• Terms of Use
• Privacy Statement
• Cookie Policy

Legal Advice

• Software Legal Advice
• Business Contracts
• Intellectual Property Advice

Contact Information

89 Fleet Street London EC4Y 1DH

[email protected]

+44 20 7036 9282

Legal Services

• Brain Injury
• Cerebral Palsy
• Child Birth
• General Medical Negligence
• Misdiagnosis Of Cancer
• Wrongful Birth
• Bridging Loans
• Freehold and Leasehold to Buy and Sell
• Purchases and Sales of Business Premises
• Transfers/Assignments of Existing Leases
• Children Advice
• Cohabitation Agreements
• Collaborative Law
• Divorce and Separation
• Domestic Violence
• Financial Arrangements
• Inheritance Act Claims
• Pre and Post Nuptial Agreements
• Property Claims for Unmarried Couples
• Business Visas
• Relationship and Family Visas
• Refusals and Appeals
• Settlement Visas
• Student Visas
• UK Citizenship
• Visitor Visas
• Bills of Costs
• Costs Budgeting and Management
• Costs Negotiations and Advice
• Costs Training and Seminars
• Court of Protection
• Group Litigation
• Points of Dispute
• Replies to Points of Dispute
• Solicitor and Client Disputes
• Auction Sales and Purchases
• Buying a House
• Lease Extensions
• Lifetime Mortgages (Equity Release)
• Remortgaging
• Selling a House
• Transfer of Equity
• Contentious Probate
• Court of Protection Applications
• Declarations of Trust
• Estate Planning
• Inheritance Tax Advice
• Powers of Attorney

Further Information

• Accreditations
• Free Online Enquiry
• News, Events and Articles

Assignment Of A Lease: Everything You Need To Know! 📃

Sep 04, 2023 | Shakeel Mir

There are are plenty of reasons why you might want to exit your commercial lease early. Perhaps your current premises are no longer suitable for the needs of your growing business, or maybe your business is in financial difficulty and you need to find a lease with more favourable terms.

There are also plenty of options when it comes to deciding how to exit a lease before the specified end date. Some of the most common include: assignment of a lease, which involves passing the lease onto another business; terminating the lease, with the help of a break clause if your contract contains one; or subletting your premises and adopting the role of landlord yourself.

Unfortunately, exiting a lease early is not always a simple process. A lease is a legal contract, and if you break it your landlord could take you to court. Opting to pursue a process such as assigning the lease to a new tenant can make exiting a lease early possible, but there are many factors that should be considered before beginning this process.

If you are thinking of trying to leave your lease early, it is advisable to obtain independent legal advice from an appropriately experienced commercial property solicitor before taking any action.

If you require legal advice or assistance on getting out of a commercial lease please call us on 0800 086 2929 , email [email protected] or complete our Free Online Enquiry Form .

In addition to office meetings, we also offer remote meetings via telephone and video conferencing software so can assist you wherever you are based.

What is assignment of a lease?

The process of assignment of a lease is essentially selling the lease to a third party (the “assignee”).

If you are a commercial property tenant, your contract likely contains a clause that allows you to assign your lease to a new tenant. To do this, you will need to find a potential new tenant yourself. Your landlord will expect this new tenant to meet the same expectations they originally set for you, and you will probably need their consent before the assignment can be completed.

While your landlord cannot reasonably withhold their consent for the assignment, they are under no obligation to give their consent if the new tenant doesn’t meet the terms set out in your contract – so it’s wise to be picky yourself about the tenant you select.

There are likely to be restrictions around when and if you can assign your lease specified in your contract. Some common restrictions include not allowing lease assignments if the contract is for a short period, and not allowing the lease to be assigned if the lease is ending within a few years.

Once a lease as been assigned, the assignee will become the new tenant and will be responsible for ensuring compliance with all of the tenant’s obligations in the lease.

What checks will a landlord make before permitting assignment of a lease?

Financial status

Your landlord will want to see evidence – usually in the form of business bank account statements – that the new tenant is in a strong financial position

Statements from previous landlords that the tenant has leased property from will be required to show that the tenant is reliable and doesn’t have a history of missing payments or otherwise neglecting their responsibilities as a tenant

Proposed use of the premises

Your landlord will probably be looking for a new tenant to intend to use the premises in broadly the same way as you have done in the past as the lease will specify what use is allowed.

Likelihood of requesting alterations to the building

As above, your landlord will require advanced notice of any alterations the new tenant may wish to make to the premises, and in some cases written permission in the form of a Licence to Alter will be required. It is likely that they may withhold their consent for assigning the lease to any tenant intending to make large-scale changes depending upon the type of premises involved.

What liabilities will you have when assigning a lease?

It is important to recognise that the assignment of a lease to a new tenant does not automatically exempt you from all liabilities related to that tenancy going forwards. In fact, once the lease assignment is complete you can still be liable should the new tenant miss any payments or otherwise break the terms of their contract.

Exactly what you will be liable for depends on when your lease began. If your lease began before January 1996 you will remain liable for all payments by any subsequent tenants – even if the lease is assigned several more times after you. This is called “privity of contract”.

For leases that began after January 1996, you will be required to sign an Authorised Guarantee Agreement . This means you guarantee payments for the next tenant, but not any further tenants.

Landlords can only claim payments of rent within six months of the money being due, and only after full notice has already been served to the former tenant.

What does lease assignment cost?

On the other hand, if the rent under the new lease is below the market rate, the new tenant may instead want to pay you a premium. If this is the case, you’ll need to make a decision on whether to charge VAT – or “opt to tax” – something that’s worth getting professional advice on.

A final charge to be considered is the cost of this advice. It is highly recommended to involve your solicitor when opting to pursue a lease assignment so as not to inadvertently break the terms of your contract and leave yourself open to court action. You should therefore also factor solicitors’ fees into your calculations when considering the cost of exiting your lease.

How to get out of a commercial lease – what are the alternatives?

Assignment of a lease is not the only way to get out of a commercial lease and depending on your circumstances and the contract you have with your current landlord, it may not always be the best option.

Some alternative ways to get out of a commercial lease early include:

Using a break clause

Some lease contracts include a “break clause” which offers both parties the opportunity to end the lease early in certain circumstances. Read your contract carefully to check if it contains a clause like this, and if it does, what terms and conditions are involved. Any time limits specified in the lease for giving of notice must be strictly followed.

Negotiating a lease exit

If your contract does not include a break clause, your landlord may still be open to you exiting the lease early. You would need to negotiate the specific terms of your exit and your landlord may require a pay-out to offset the inconvenience of having to market the property again.

Compared to lease assignment, negotiating an exit from your lease should provide a clean break with no further liabilities, but we would recommend seeking legal advice to confirm that you were exiting the contract cleanly.

Subletting the premises

A final option to consider when looking at how to get out of your commercial lease early is subletting. If your contract allows it, you can take on the role of landlord by finding and leasing your property to a new tenant.

You can use the rent payments from your new tenant to cover your own obligations, but in return you’ll be expected to take a hands-on role managing the property and dealing with the sub-tenant directly.

Need assistance with assignment of lease?

Exiting a lease early can be a complex process, whether you choose to do so by arranging the assignment of your lease or by one of the other means mentioned above.

Lease assignment is an effective way for tenants to get out of a commercial lease early. However, this can be a slow process and you will incur costs.

Contacting a solicitor at an early juncture is advisable so that you are appropriately advised at the outset of any key considerations and potential pitfalls. For example, even though you are selling the lease, you could potentially remain liable afterwards; this will depend on the age of the lease and whether you have entered into an authorised agreement or not.

Shakeel Mir is the Head of our Commercial Property department and has many years of experience in dealing with lease assignment.  He is based in our Amersham office but assists and advises clients all over the country.  In addition to office meetings, Shakeel offers remote meetings via telephone or video conferencing software so can assist you wherever you are based.

Make a Free Enquiry

If you are considering how to get out of a commercial lease or have any queries relating to any of the issues discussed in this article, please get in touch with Shakeel by calling 0800 086 2929 , emailing [email protected] or completing our Free Online Enquiry Form .

The content of this article is for general information only. The information in this article is not legal or professional advice. If you require legal or professional advice you should obtain independent expert advice from qualified commercial property solicitors such as those within our firm .

Call us 24/7 on 0800 086 2929 , email  [email protected] , or complete our Free Online Enquiry Form to arrange a free, no-obligation discussion and let us explain your legal rights and options.

Call us 24/7 on 0800 086 2929 or complete our Free Enquiry Form below

Please leave this field empty.

Amersham (Head Office):

57 Hill Avenue Amersham Buckinghamshire HP6 5BX DX: 400002 Amersham 3 Tel: 01494 722326

Ebbsfleet Office:

Kent Space Fleet House Springhead Enterprise Park Springhead Road Northfleet, Kent DA11 8HJ Tel: 01494 722326

Guildford Office:

Units A-J Austen House Station View Guildford Surrey GU1 4AR Tel: 01483 924758

Hove Office:

71 Church Road Hove East Sussex BN3 2BB Tel: 01273 056720

• Our Services
• Cookie Policy
• Privacy Policy
• Disclaimer and Legals
• Free Enquiry

Contact Details

• 24/7: 0800 086 2929
• [email protected]

Elite Law Solicitors is a trading name of Elite Law Solicitors Limited, Registered in the UK, Registration Number: 09050473

Registered office: chalfont court, 1-5 hill avenue, amersham, buckinghamshire, hp6 5bd., we are authorised and regulated by the solicitors regulation authority no: 617591..

• Disclaimer, Legal & Complaints

copyright 2020. all rights reserved.

• Clinical Negligence
• Commercial Property
• Family Law and Divorce
• Immigration
• Legal Costs
• Residential Conveyancing
• Wills, Trusts and Probate
• Amersham Office
• Brighton Office
• Ebbsfleet Office
• Elstead Office
• Hitchin Office
• Leighton Buzzard Office
• Raunds Office
• Southampton Office
• St Albans Office
• Surbiton Office

Privacy Overview

• News, Events & Articles
• Online Payments
• Transfers/Assignments of Leases
• Divorce And Separation
• Costs Budgeting And Management
• Buying a Property
• Halal Mortgages
• Lifetime Mortgages
• Re-Mortgaging
• Selling a Property
• Bedford Office

Assignment and succession of tenancy

Produced in partnership with morayo fagborun bennett of gatehouse chambers, introduction.

This Practice Note discusses assignment and succession of tenancy in England, with reference to the Housing Act 1985 (HA 1985), the Localism Act 2011 (LA 2011) and the Housing Act 1988 (HA 1988). It explains that assignment of a secure periodic tenancy is prohibited except in three situations. With effect from 1 April 2012, a registered social landlord can include express provisions in their tenancy agreements granting additional succession rights for assured tenants.

As of 1 December 2022, tenancies and licences of dwellings in Wales are governed by the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016 (RH(W)A 2016) (subject to certain exceptions). Secure tenancies may no longer be created and existing secure tenancies will convert automatically into occupation contracts. The terms of existing and new tenancies must be considered in the context of RH(W)A 2016 in order to establish whether or not they are occupation contracts for the purposes of RH(W)A 2016 and, if so, what kind of occupation contract. Tenancies and licences which are occupation contracts must comply with the comprehensive provisions of

Access this content for free with a 7 day trial of LexisNexis and benefit from:

• Instant clarification on points of law
• Smart search
• Workflow tools
• 41 practice areas

** Trials are provided to all LexisNexis content, excluding Practice Compliance, Practice Management and Risk and Compliance, subscription packages are tailored to your specific needs. To discuss trialling these LexisNexis services please email customer service via our online form. Free trials are only available to individuals based in the UK, Ireland and selected UK overseas territories and Caribbean countries. We may terminate this trial at any time or decide not to give a trial, for any reason. Trial includes one question to LexisAsk during the length of the trial.

Get your quote today and take step closer to being able to benefit from:

• 36 practice areas

Get a LexisNexis quote

* denotes a required field

To view the latest version of this document and thousands of others like it, sign-in with LexisNexis or register for a free trial.

Existing user? Sign-in CONTINUE READING GET A QUOTE

Gatehouse Chambers

Morayo specialises in all areas of landlord and tenant and property law. Recent cases include Charalambous v Ng [2014] EWCA Civ 1604 (tenancy deposit schemes), Coope v Ward [2015] EWCA Civ 30 (easement of support and measured duty of care) and Farah v Hillingdon LBC [2014] EWCA Civ 359 (intentionality and homelessness). She also regularly acts in disrepair and dilapidation proceedings, service and estate charge disputes and residential and commercial lease renewals. Morayo’s public law practice includes community care, Court of Protection, deprivation of liberty, welfare benefits, homelessness, judicial review and discrimination law. Recent cases concerned the community care needs of life sentenced prisoners, a deprivation of liberty case on the interface between the MCH and MCA and a test case on the lawfulness of the current practice adopted by decision makers in Employment Support Allowance assessments. Morayo’s commercial practice covers contractual disputes in the property and employment sectors advocating in the courts and tribunals. A speciality is cases involving multiple discrimination complaints. Morayo came to the law with a background in philosophy and theology, graduating from St Hilda’s College, Oxford in 2000 with a 2:1. Her Masters in Crime, Human Rights and the International Community achieved a Distinction. She attained a commendation in the Common Professional Examination and was graded outstanding on the Bar Vocational Course in 2004.

Key definition:

Assignment definition, what does assignment mean.

An assignment is an immediate transfer of an existing proprietary right, vested or contingent from one party to another. Assignments can occur by consent or by operation of law.

Popular documents

Assignment and succession of tenancyIntroductionThis Practice Note discusses assignment and succession of tenancy in England, with reference to the Housing Act 1985 (HA 1985), the Localism Act 2011 (LA 2011) and the Housing Act 1988 (HA 1988). It explains that assignment of a secure periodic tenancy

What enforcement action can a local authority take against a property owner wilfully leaving food to

What enforcement action can a local authority take against a property owner wilfully leaving food to attract rats and causing problems for neighbouring properties? If the local authority suspects the property owner has mental health issues, does that change the action to be taken?Under section 3 of

Enforcing unsuitability—resources, duties and discretion (R(Imam) v Croydon LBC)

Local Government analysis: A highly-anticipated decision of the Supreme Court on how the court should intervene when a local authority fails to move homeless applicants from unsuitable temporary housing, and how lack of resources should be addressed when considering relief. The High Court had

Succession to secure tenancy challenge dismissed by the Court of Appeal (Dudley MBC v Mailley)

Local Government analysis: Section 87(b) of the Housing Act 1985 (HA 1985) was not of discriminatory effect in respect of the daughter of a secure tenant by preventing the daughter succeeding to the tenancy on the secure tenant dying while permanently residing at a care home. The daughter could not

0330 161 1234

• International Sales(Includes Middle East)
• Latin America and the Caribbean
• Netherlands
• New Zealand
• Philippines
• South Africa
• Switzerland
• United States
• Research & Reports
• LexTalk Forum

Popular Links

• Supplier Payment Terms
• Partner Alliance Programme

HELP & SUPPORT

• Legal Help and Support
• Tolley Tax Help and Support
• Privacy Policy
• Cookie Settings
• Terms & Conditions
• Data Protection Inquiry
• Protecting Human Rights: Our Modern Slavery Agreement

• Law dictionary

The formal transfer of the rights to something. An example would be a bank customer assigning to the bank the right to receive the benefits from a life insurance policy to give the bank security for a loan.

I assign the rights to the benefits to my life insurance policy to my wife.

Thank you for your feedback. If you have another few minutes please take the time to tell us about our new Dictionary service.

Other useful terms:

A legal document which people use to bequeath (leave as a gift) money and property when they die.

The legal authority to deal with a dead person's estate. When someone has died and left a will , the executors of the estate apply to the court for this authority.

• Why baby boomers should care about Britney
• I'm due in a criminal court
• I'm due in a civil court
• I'm due in a Family court
• I’m under 18 and going to court
• High value claims
• Small claims
• Personal injury
• I want to represent myself in court
• The lowdown on going to court
• I'm young and have a problem
• I've got family problems
• Meeting your family lawyer for the first time?
• Domestic abuse
• ID and money home-buying checks - why they are needed
• Problems with buying or selling
• Buying and selling: Finding a legal adviser
• Evictions: if you’re being told to leave
• Repairs and poor living conditions
• Rent money, deposits and fees
• Immigration solicitors and legal advisers
• Legal documents
• My legal bill
• What to consider before buying a pet
• How old do I need to be to own a pet?
• What pets are legal in the UK
• Pet purchase protection
• Pet owner responsibilities
• Microchipping
• I have been discriminated against
• I want to know my rights
• Your consumer rights this Christmas 
• Your guide to defamation
• I want to challenge a will
• I want to make a will
• Simpler choices when you make a will
• Confidentiality
• Discrimination
• Mental health in the workplace
• Tipping point: Has your problem at work become a legal issue?
• I’m not happy about something my employer has done
• Speaking up about sexual harassment – Three things you should know
• Covid vaccine: Can workers be forced to have the jab?
• Employment rights and dismissal
• Redundancy and the law
• Control of your images online 
• Legal protection for ideas
• Protecting ideas
• Lawyer checklist
• Factsheet: Business structure
• Factsheet: Employment law
• Factsheet: Tax law
• Factsheet: Insurance for small business
• Factsheet: Trading law
• Factsheet: Premises and property
• Chartered Legal Executives and CILEx Practitioners
• Costs Lawyers
• Immigration Advisers
• Licensed Conveyancers
• Trade Mark Attorneys and Patent Attorneys
• Charity and Trade Union Advisers
• McKenzie Friends
• Will Writers
• Finding out more on the provider’s website
• Choosing a legal adviser – other factors
• Leaving a review
• Complaints to legal services providers
• My legal options
• Registers of legal professionals
• Contact a legal regulator
• If you want to complain
• Law Centres
• Legal insurance
• No win no fee
• Paying in instalments
• Questions to ask lawyers
• Sources of free legal advice
• The Money Helper site
• Accessibility
• Disclaimer statement
• Terms and conditions of use

Do You Know What All The Top Gen Z Phrases For 2022 Mean?

Senior Trends Reporter, HuffPost UK

Everyone knows Gen Z are the ones currently deciding what’s in and what’s out.

But do you know what the top phrases they used in 2022 actually mean?

Using Google trends data, Preply – a language learning app – identified the top slang terms used in the last year which had people quickly hunting the internet to learn what they actually meant.

Here’s a breakdown of all the definitions, starting with the most-Googled:

1. Understood the assignment

Think of it as the 2022 edition of the phrase “killing it” – it means when someone put in additional effort and went above and beyond a brief, basically.

It went particularly viral back in 2021 when fans of various actors compared all the different roles they had played, alongside the caption, “they understood the assignment” – a tweet format which continued throughout 2022.

listen, jenna ortega is so good in wednesday and the scene where she dances is perfect proof that she understood the assignment pic.twitter.com/MIMjXrdsgR — Nora Dominick (@noradominick) November 26, 2022

Ooh, probably not the one you want to be associated with.

Pronounced ‘chew-gee’, it means someone behind on trends, out of fashion, and who is a bit cringey. So if you’re still trying to use the word “random” to describe something quirky, you’re probably a bit cheugy in Gen Z’s eyes.

Sorry, we don’t make the rules.

Bussin’ is an adjective for something absolutely amazing, and usually related to food. Like this TikToker, who described Ikea meatballs as “bussin bussin”.

Presumably it stems from “bust a move” but we’re not too sure about the exact origins of this one.

@ashyizzle Those meatballs were bussin bussin ✨ #mukbang #ikea ♬ Famous piano songs for comedy and cooking programs - moshimo sound design

4. Caught in 4k

This is somewhere between “caught in the act”, “caught in the trap” and “caught red-handed”, it usually refers to catching someone out – but with digital evidence.

That can be video proof, a voice recording, a text screenshot or a photo, it all counts.

Think of it like the 2022 edition of “we have the receipts”, except “4k” means the proof against someone is particularly high quality.

On social media, users often attached a camera emoji to really hammer home how it means someone (or their scandal) has been exposed.

5. Sending me

When something is hilarious online, LOL is no longer enough.

So Gen Z invented “sending me” to express how something is so hilarious, they are incapable of carrying on as normal.

Perhaps it originates from “sending me insane”, but either way it has a similar hysterical sentiment to “I’m literally screaming” and “I can’t deal”. So it’s a new way of laughing, but online.

6. Ate that

This is seriously high praise. Despite it sounding like the opposite, “ate that” means someone is doing such an amazing job. We know, it sounds like they consumed the task whole – but maybe that’s a good thing?

7. Main character

This one is somewhat easier to understand.

If you embody main character energy, then you are the central figure in every situation.

TikTok has made this one very popular. Think of that person who everyone looks at when you walk into a room like you’re in a movie – if you’re a main character, you’re this person now.

And it doesn’t matter how you attract that attention either, as this baptised baby proves:

He's got that main character energy pic.twitter.com/eNClGDLPHr — made me smile (@mademe__smile) December 27, 2022

8. Snatched

This is the ultimate compliment about your appearance.

It began with New York City drag culture back in the 1990s, but has resurfaced to mean anyone who is quite simply, very attractive, perfect and amazing.

It’s like an upgrade of “on point”, you look like perfection.

Confusingly, it was also used to describe a particular waist shape for hourglass figures as well – so you would have a “snatched waist” – but appears to have been extended to apply to appearances as a whole.

From Our Partner