At an arraignment, what is the defendant asked to plead?

During an arraignment, the primary purpose is to inform the defendant of the charges against them and to allow them to enter a formal plea. The defendant is specifically asked to plead either guilty or not guilty to the charges. By entering a guilty plea, the defendant admits to committing the offense, while a not guilty plea indicates that they contest the charges and wish to have their case heard in court.

The other options presented do not accurately reflect the legal terminology or the process followed in an arraignment. The terms "innocent or guilty" and "innocent or liable" are not used in this context since innocence is not a formal plea option; defendants are only given the choice to plead guilty or not guilty. "Guilty or charged" is also incorrect as the plea must be specific to the charges rather than simply stating the fact of being charged. Therefore, the correct answer is that the defendant is asked to plead guilty or not guilty.