Which of the following tests is primarily used to assess an individual's hearing ability?

The primary test used to assess an individual's hearing ability is pure tone audiometry. This test specifically evaluates a person's ability to hear sounds at different frequencies and volumes, establishing the threshold of hearing for various pitches. It involves presenting pure tones through headphones and determining the quietest sound that the person can detect at different frequencies.

While speech audiometry and tympanometry can also contribute valuable information about hearing function, they serve different purposes. Speech audiometry assesses how well a person can recognize and understand speech at different volume levels, which is important for understanding practical hearing ability in everyday situations. Tympanometry, on the other hand, evaluates the functioning of the middle ear by measuring the mobility of the eardrum in response to air pressure changes, and it is used to identify issues like fluid in the ear or eustachian tube dysfunction.

Although all these tests are important components of a comprehensive hearing evaluation, pure tone audiometry is the most direct assessment of hearing ability.