Symbol Meaning
delete
Explanation
Delete the word(s) or letter(s) indicated with a loop through them.
close up
There is an extra space. Delete it. Sometimes I use this when you have
spelled a single word incorrectly as two words.
indent
An arrow pointing to a line at the beginning of a paragraph means you
should indent the first line of your paragraph. In front of a long quoted
passage, it means you should indent the entire passage. The vertical line
indicates approximately how far you should indent.
#
add space
You need extra space, usually between two words that have been run
together.
=
capitalize
Three lines under a letter or word means it should be capitalized
^
insert
A caret mark between two words means you should add the word or
phrase I've suggested at that point
/
slash
A slash with letters or punctuation marks indicates you should add the
character or characters indicated
//
parallel
Two slanted lines indicates that you have used an unparallel
construction for a list or in another situation where the meaning of your
sentence would be clearer if the parts were stated in the same manner.
¶
paragraph
This symbol indicates you should start a new paragraph. Often when
this is marked, the resulting paragraphs need to be developed. You have
switched topics in mid-paragraph and haven't fully explored them.
ag
agency
This is when the subject of your sentence isn't the real actor. For
instance, you might write: 'The story thought humans were created out
of clay.' Since stories don't think, this sentence doesn't make sense.
SV
agreement
Most commonly, this is marked when the subject and verb do not agree
in number‹you have a plural noun with a singular verb, for instance.
Sometimes it is the pronoun and its referent which do not agree in
number or person.
awk
awkward
The underlined phrase is grammatically correct, but there is a clearer,
more concise way to phrase it.
C
Comma rules Your use/lack thereof is incorrect
cs
comma
splice
Two independent sentences have been joined by a comma, with no
conjunction or other means to correctly join them.
dm
dangling
modifier
This is when the implied subject of the dependent clause is not the
subject of the sentence that follows. Revise this by adding the correct
subject to the clause.
exp
expand
Tell more about the topic you just raised. Usually there is evidence from
the text that you should use to back up an assertion you have made or
the issue is more complicated than you have indicated from your
discussion of it.
expl
explain
As with 'expand,' you need to discuss this topic more in your paper,
explaining why you hold the view you do or where you see evidence of
it in the text.
ev
evidence
You need to show where you found evidence in the text to support the
point you are trying to make.
font
font size
The size font appears bigger than 12 pt or you have chosen a font that
sets significantly bigger than Times or Helvetica. Please use 12 pt
Times or an equivalent legible font for your essays. 10 pt is acceptible,
especially if you don't have Times or Helvetica and need to use Courier
or another font that looks big on the page.
frag
fragment
This is when a sentence lacks a subject and a verb or when it is a
dependent clause and therefore can not stand alone as a sentence. Often
you can revise this error by linking the fragment to the sentence before
or after it, though sometimes it is better to add the subject.
fused
fused
Two independent sentences have been run together as if they are one,
with no conjunction or other means to correctly join them.
inc
incomplete
Similar to a fragment, this is when a word is missing from your
sentence. I often mark an 'x' in the sentence where I think you need the
word
iq
introduce the Whenever you quote from a text, you should integrate the quoted
quote
passage into your essay by providing a phrase or sentence that sets up
the context of the quote, introduces who is speaking, and begins an
interpretation. After a quotation, you should also explain the
significance of the quoted passage.
LF
Logical
fallacy
There is a problem with your reasoning/logical thinking.
M
Missing
something
Language is missing (you are missing a verb/noun/etc.)
mixed
mixed
This is when the grammar of your sentence switches in mid sentence.
construction
mm
misplaced
modifier
This is when word or phrase (usually underlined) is ambigous or unclear
due to where it is placed in the sentence.
no it
no italics
The underlined text should not be in italics, but should be in plain text
style.
no b
no bold
The underlined text (or a long passage in bold) should not be in bold
type, but should be in plain text style. Generally, you should not use
bold in your papers.
R
redundant
The word or sentence you've used repeats an idea that doesn't need to be
repeated.
ref
referent
The noun to which the pronoun refers is not clear. Often this happens
when you use the noun in the possessive. Then a pronoun can't refer to
it. For example: In Lorca's poem, "Somnambule Ballade," he
writes...‹this is incorrect, since he can not refer to Lorca's only to Lorca.
Revise this to read: In his poem... Lorca writes...
r.o.
Run-on
Incorrectly connecting two independent clauses with no punctuation
sp
spelling
This indicates a misspelled word. This may be a word that is correctly
spelled but is not the word you mean. For instance, there, their, and
they're are often misused, resulting in a misspelled word.
si
split
infinitive
Generally, you don't put any word between the two parts of an infinitive
verb form (to + verb). 'To boldly go' is a common example of a split
infinitive that is so familiar from Star Trek as to become accepted. In an
essay, it would be better to say, 'to go boldly' or 'boldly to go' depending
on the context.
t
tense shift
Keep the tense of your essay consistent. If you talk about the action of
the story in either present or past tense it is fine as long as you don't
switch back and forth (except to indicate a change in the time frame of
the story).
tr
transpose
Switch the parts of the sentence that I have marked with a line above
and below.
trans
transition
Provide a clear transition between two points. When marked between
two paragraphs, you will likely need a sentence or two that shows the
relationship between the topic of the first paragraph and the topic of the
second. When marked between two sentences, you likely need a phrase
or introductory word (yet, but, however, similarly, etc.) that makes the
connection between your ideas clearer.
uncl
unclear
The meaning of the underlined phrase is unclear.
v
vague
The meaning of the passage is not precise or specific enough.
wc
word choice The word you have used does not fit the context you use it in. You may
be confused about its definition
Wf
Word form
Your need to change the form of your word. This also overlaps with
tense.
word
wording
The underlined word or phrase is non-standard or unclear. Find a clearer
way to rephrase what you want to say.