What constitutes legal acceptance in a contract?

Legal acceptance in a contract occurs when one party agrees to the terms of an offer, typically indicated by signing the agreement. This act shows a clear intention to enter into a binding contract under the stipulated terms. The signature signifies that the accepting party understands and agrees to the terms laid out in the offer, creating mutual assent, which is a fundamental element of contract law.

This clarity eliminates ambiguity about whether the parties have agreed upon the terms, as a written agreement provides tangible evidence of acceptance. In contrast, a verbal agreement may lack the same level of proof and clarity, and both submitting an inquiry to the offer and proposing modifications would not constitute acceptance, as they imply that the potential offeree is negotiating rather than agreeing to the original terms.