Proof correction marks
(based on BS 5261 part 2)
Instruction
No corrections on this
page
Leave unchanged
(‘stet’)
Remove unwanted
marks
Refer to appropriate
authority
Insert new matter
Insert additional
matter
Delete
Delete & close up
Substitute character
Substitute string of
characters e.g. word
Wrong type font used;
replace with correct
font
Insert a full point
Insert a colon
Insert a semi-colon
Insert a comma
Insert single quotes
Insert double quotes
Insert apostrophe
Substitute character in
superscript or
subscript position
This card was prepared by Conrad Taylor of Popular Communication Courses — see http://www.popcomm.co.uk
Textual mark
[ None ]
InterColor consortium
under no circumstances
InterColor consortium
The red hen
required. However, as
See the table on page 5.
See the table on page 5.
The little red hun
un
The little red hen
Too many cooks
This sentence must end
This clause has a point
This is wrong,
g, I should
Fish chips and peas
The liberated territory
The liberated territory
The childs pajamas
23,500 m3 of lumber
An escape of CO2
O2 gas
Margin mark Comment
Mark indicates that the page
has been looked at.
Often added to cancel an
instruction wrongly requested.
May be applied to blemishes
in reprographics
For use when the proofreader
is unsure, or where a style
guide can be referred to
little
Additional matter is supplied
A on a separate sheet marked
with reference letter.
(In practice, these are usually
the same in modern type-
setting: ‘close up’ can be
inferred from context.)
e
Vertical marks at end of line
black help to indicate boundaries.
(May also need to refer to
style guide or give type
specifications.)
. (The encircling ring helps to
identify the character, which
might otherwise be mistaken
: for a spot on the proof.)
(In this example, a semi-colon
; is being substituted rather
than inserted.)
, , (As a comma is so small, to
or
circle it might be wise.)
, ,
,, ,, The additional mark under the
punctuation helps to indicate
the superscript positioning
,
3
2
 Instruction Textual mark Margin mark Comment
Set in or change to
An incredible fortune
italics

Set in or change to
An incredible fortune
bold

Set in or change to
An incredible fortune
bold italics

Set in or change to
When in Rome, do as
capitals

Set in or change to
When in Rome, do as (Some typefaces have a
small capitals
complementary ‘expert
set’ containing small
Capitals for initials;
When in Rome, do as capitals.)
rest in small capitals

Change capitals to
FAILURE is seen
lower case

Change small capitals

FAILURE is seen
to lower case

Change italic to
An incredible fortune
roman

are confirmed. The new

Start new paragraph
name for the company is

No new paragraph; are confirmed.

run on The new name for the

Insert space between is typographer’s

This typeface is called or
characters/words shorthand for ‘space‘.

Close space between

This type face is called
characters/words

are confirmed.
Indent text by amount
The new name for the 1 em (An em is a space equal to
indicated
company the body size of the type;
other units of measure
are confirmed. could also be used e.g.
Cancel indent The new name for the millimetres.)
company

Transpose characters Accidents ahppen

Transpose words This fat full cheese

Cider apples have been a

Take over to new line
major source of income

Take back to Cider apples have been

preceding line a major source of income

An Acrobat PDF file for printing extra copies of this card may be downloaded from – http://www.ideography.co.uk/proof/marks.html