The use of the Word Recognition Score is primarily to assess ____________.

The Word Recognition Score (WRS) is primarily used to assess the ability to understand speech, particularly in various listening conditions, including noise. This score evaluates how well an individual can perceive and comprehend spoken words when they are presented at a comfortable hearing level.

Understanding speech in noise is crucial for effective communication in everyday situations. Individuals often need to identify words against a backdrop of competing sounds, such as conversations in social settings or background noise in public spaces. The WRS provides valuable insight into a person's auditory processing abilities and their capacity to recognize words in less than ideal listening environments.

While the other options may pertain to different aspects of hearing assessment, they do not specifically capture the essence of what the WRS evaluates. Hearing threshold levels relate to the faintest sounds a person can hear, functional hearing ability encompasses a broader range of skills and capabilities, and comfort levels with amplification address how well a person tolerates sound produced by hearing aids rather than their understanding of speech itself. Therefore, the primary focus of the WRS is indeed to gauge the ability to understand speech in noise.