These Are The Commonly Used Proofreading Symbols

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Proofreading symbols

These are the commonly used proofreading symbols.


The use of almost all proofreading symbols follows the same pattern. There is a mark in the margin, along

with specific details about the change that should be made, and a mark in the text showing where those

instructions should be implemented.

The full set of proofreading marks is defined by British Standard BS 5261 and further information can be

obtained from the BSI

Our experience tells us that the best way to learn the proofreading marks is to use them — that's far better

than trying to simply memorise them in the abstract. Proofread a few documents with a copy of the marks

at your side and look up the right proofreading symbol each time you need to mark up an error. By the time

you've marked up a few documents, you'll have identified those proofreading marks that you're likely to use

and will have started to memorise them without having to make a conscious effort.

Remember, when all else fails, you can simply put a circle around the text that needs to be altered and put

instructions in the margin detailing what should be done.

If you find the list below useful, why not provide a link to this page so that your visitors will benefit from this

resource?

Proofreading symbols for general instructions

The mark in the


The instruction The mark in the copy
margin

"Stet" Leave the text as it was and ignore any under the characters to be left
marks that have been made as they were.

Remove all these non-textual marks Circle round marks to be removed

Query this with the author, printer or publisher Circle round text to be queried

Proofreading symbols for inserting, deleting and changing text


The instruction The mark in the margin The mark in the copy

Text to be inserted The text and then

Additional text supplied A letter in a diamond identifying the supplied text,


separately e.g.

Delete character through the character

Delete text through the


text

Delete character and close space


through the
character

Delete text and close space through the


text

Character to replace marked


The new character through the character
character

Text to replace marked text The new text through the


text

Proofreading symbols for changing the look of the text

The mark in the


The instruction The mark in the copy
margin

Change to the correct font Circle round character(s) to be changed

Change this badly printed text Circle round character(s) to be changed

Put this in italics under the characters to be changed

Remove italic, replace with


Circle round character(s) to be changed
upright
Put this in capitals under the characters to be changed

Put this in small capitals under the characters to be changed

Change to lowercase or Circle round character(s) to be changed

Put this in bold under the characters to be changed

Turn this upside down Circle round character(s) to be changed

Raise character(s) to superscript Under at insertion point or through character to be


character(s) raised

Lower character(s) to subscript Above at insertion point or through character to be


character(s) lowered

Proofreading symbols for punctuation

The instruction The mark in the margin The mark in the copy

Comma at insertion point or through character to


be changed

Full stop As above

Semi-colon As above

Colon As above

Apostrophe As above

Single quote
As above
mark(s) or
Double quote
As above
marks or

Ellipsis As above

Dotted leader As above

Hyphen As above

Dash Write the size of the dash between As above


the uprights

Solidus or slash As above

Proofreading symbols for layout

The instruction The mark in the margin The mark in the copy

Paragraph break

Remove paragraph
break

Indent
Specify the size of indent

Remove indent

Justify left or right or or

Centre

Insert space between Insert between the


characters If it is not a single space, give size
characters
Insert space between Insert between the
words If it is not a single space, give size
words

Reduce space between Insert between the


characters Specify size of space
characters

Reduce space between Insert between the


words Specify size of space
words

Remove space

Insert space between The mark starts in the margin and extends between the
lines lines. If it is not a single line-space, give size

Remove space between


The mark starts in the margin and extends between the lines
lines

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