In many cases of assault the threatening behaviour may well encompass not just physical acts but also wo More often than not the words used will confirm a reasonable apprehension of a battery the may negate any such An examiner may wish to test a appreciation of the of words in the context of assault. This leads us to an issue of princip namely, whether an assault may be committed by words. There are differing opinions on this issue both in the case law and amongst academics(and indeed battery) It has to be recognised that assault as a tort has its limitations and falls far short of any universal principle providing redress for every conceivable type of harm which might be intentionally inflicted. For example, it is quite possible to cause harm through words or which is not as an assault, but which may fall within the scope of some other nominate or innominate tort such as Wilkinson. Downton 118971 2 QB 57 This is one example where a question might cross the traditional boundaries of individual torts and accordingly prove popular with examiners.