Which of the following best defines an 'Act' in criminal law?

• A. A thought or intention
• B. A bodily movement, whether voluntary or involuntary. Involves speech
• C. A physical action that is not speech
• D. A property deed

Answer: (B)

In criminal law, the act (actus reus) is the outward, physical manifestation of the crime—the part of liability that involves what the person does. This focuses on the body’s actions rather than what someone thinks or intends. A bodily movement can include speech, since saying or uttering words can be a criminal act in itself (for example, making false statements or issuing commands). A thought or intention alone isn’t punishable as the act, and a property deed isn’t an act of crime by itself. So describing an act as a bodily movement, including speech, best captures the observable conduct that can satisfy the actus reus.