The Patterns That Describe Corrective Market Movement

corrective wave types: zigzags, flats, expanded & running flats, triangles, double/triple structures, and box/proportion techniques for elliott wave analysis.

The Purpose of Corrective Waves

The market has been pushing strongly, it needs to rest. Corrective waves are that rest. They retrace part of a previous five-wave move and help the market regain balance. Most corrections are built from three main parts (A–B–C) but the shape inside those parts can look very different.

Characteristics of Corrective Moves

Basic Corrective Structures

The main corrective families you will learn are:

• Zigzag — sharp counter-trend move (5–3–5)
• Flat — broad sideways correction (3–3–5). Includes Regular, Expanded, and Running Flats.
• Triangle — compression and consolidation (3–3–3–3–3)
• Combination — linked corrections using X waves (W–X–Y, etc.)

◼ Zigzag Correction (5–3–5)

Simple Zigzag is one of the most common sharp corrections. It is labeled A–B–C where:

• A — a 5-wave impulsive move against the main trend
• B — a 3-wave retrace (partial bounce)
• C — a 5-wave impulsive move continuing the A direction

Variations you will encounter:

• Zigzag with Triangle: same pattern, but Wave B forms a triangle (B becomes sideways).
• Double Zigzag: two zigzags joined by an X wave (W–X–Y). This makes the correction longer and more complex.

◼ Flat Corrections — Regular, Expanded & Running (All are Flats)

Flats are a big family. They are all 3–3–5 inside A–B–C and are generally more sideways than zigzags. Keep all flat types together because they share the same internal shape (A=3, B=3, C=5).

Regular Flat (3–3–5)

• Wave A → three-wave (corrective)
• Wave B → three-wave that usually retraces most of A (often 90%–105%)
• Wave C → five-wave motive that ends near the start of Wave A
• Visual: wide, sideways shape; often looks like a box

Expanded Flat (3–3–5)

• Wave B breaks beyond the start of Wave A (a false push)
• Wave C then moves strongly opposite and usually goes beyond the end of Wave A
• Visual: both sides briefly break — it feels like a trap

Running Flat (variant)

• Wave B goes beyond the start of A (like expanded)
• Wave C fails to move beyond the end of A — C is shorter
• Visual: a "running" look where the trend resumes sooner

Important flat notes (simple): flats can hide in price noise. Always check internal waves — A and B are corrective, and C is motive.

◼ Triangles (3–3–3–3–3)

Triangles are sideways compression patterns built of five legs A–B–C–D–E. Each leg typically subdivides into three waves. They represent balance between buyers and sellers and usually come before the next move.

Contracting Triangle

• Trendlines converge (top line slopes down, bottom line slopes up)
• Volume usually falls over the formation
• Common location: Wave 4 or B
• Entry idea (study only): the market usually breaks in direction of prior trend after E

Running / Mutated Contracting Triangle

• Similar to contracting but Wave B slightly breaks the start of Wave A
• Still behaves like a triangle but can be trickier to spot

Expanding Triangle

• Trendlines diverge (waves get wider)
• Less common and more volatile
• Usually requires confirmation after completion

Triangle essentials (plain): triangles compress price and time — think of them as a coiled spring before the next move.

◼ Complex Corrections — Linking Patterns with X Waves

When one corrective structure doesn’t finish the job, the market can link patterns. The connector is called an X wave. Examples:

• Double Zigzag (W–X–Y) — two zigzags joined by X (very common).
• Combination (W–X–Y) — different corrections joined (e.g., zigzag + flat).
• Triple (W–X–Y–X–Z) — rare, very long sideways phases.

Simple rule: each part keeps its own internal rules — a zigzag remains 5–3–5, a flat remains 3–3–5 — they are just placed next to each other. Complex corrections are mostly labeling exercises for clarity on larger timeframes.

Double Three & Triple Three (W–X–Y / W–X–Y–X–Z)

These are specific combination types often seen as sideways structures:

• Double Three (W–X–Y) — W and Y are usually zigzags or flats; X is any corrective connector. Triangles are only allowed in certain positions (not inside some flats).
• Triple Three (W–X–Y–X–Z) — longer chain; allowed when the market needs a lot of time to rebalance.

Note (simple): Double/Triple Three names are for chart clarity. They describe how many corrective blocks the market used to sort itself out.

Box & Proportion Technique (Easy Visual Test)

Use boxes to compare corrections — it’s a visual shortcut to see rhythm and alternation:

1. Draw a box around Wave 2 (width = time, height = price).
2. Duplicate and place the same box on Wave 4.
3. Compare: if Wave 2 is deep & slow, Wave 4 will usually be shallow & quick (and vice versa).

Why it helps (plain): the box method trains your eye to notice whether a correction is "heavy" or "light" and to keep consistent labeling across timeframes.

Common Mistakes Analysts Make (Keep it simple)

• Forcing a 5-wave impulse inside a correction.
• Calling every sideways period a triangle — many are just choppy moves.
• Assuming Wave B can never be complex — B can be almost any corrective shape.
• Labeling before the correction finishes — wait for structure to complete.
• Missing alternation — Wave 2 and Wave 4 usually differ in form.

🔬 Practical Exercise (Study Practice)

Short study checklist:

1. Find two corrections on one chart (Wave 2 and Wave 4). Draw boxes around them and compare size/time.
2. Try to name each correction: Zigzag, Flat (regular/expanded/running), Triangle, Double Zigzag, Combination.
3. Check internal wave counts: are A/B/C made of 3 or 5 parts?
4. Make a note in your journal: where did the correction finish relative to the prior trend?

🔑 Chapter Summary

• Corrective waves are the market's rest — mostly A–B–C structures but many internal shapes exist.
• Flats (regular, expanded, running) are all 3–3–5 forms — keep them grouped together.
• Zigzags are sharp 5–3–5 corrections; triangles are 3–3–3–3–3 compressions and are continuation patterns.
• Complex corrections join smaller patterns with X waves (double / triple structures).
• The box & proportion method and alternation are the simplest, most reliable visual checks.
• Study patiently — corrections reveal where the true next impulse will come from.