Elliott wave corrections: A-B-C, triangles and combinations

The idea in plain words

After a five-wave move, the crowd takes profits and doubts set in. Corrections are messier and slower than impulses. Recognising them helps you avoid selling the bottom of a pullback and see when the trend may resume.

How it is calculated

A-B-C: click the start and the ends of A, B and C; after B the tool draws where C is likely to end (0.618, 1 or 1.618 × A). Triangle: start, then A–E (the tool draws the converging trend lines); after E it draws the thrust target, the triangle's widest part measured from E, and a stop beyond the end of C. Double and triple combinations join simpler corrections with X waves.

Zigzag A-B-C: B usually retraces 50–78.6% of A; C ≈ A (often 1 or 1.618 × A)
Triangle: five overlapping waves inside converging lines, usually before the final move of a trend
Combination: two (W-X-Y) or three (W-X-Y-X-Z) corrections linked by X waves

How to use it

• After an A-B-C pullback in an uptrend, look for the trend to resume.
• A triangle often appears just before the last wave of a move; the break of the triangle shows the direction.

Drawing conclusions

• Corrections usually retrace 38.2–61.8% of the previous impulse.

Watch out for

• Corrections are the hardest part of Elliott analysis; expect several possible counts.

A little history

Part of Ralph Elliott's original work (1938), refined by Prechter and Frost.