Equalise space mark

Vertical strokes marking uneven spacing.

Also known as: Even spacing mark, Regularise space

Engineering & technicalEveryday & digitalStandard profile

Meanings

The proof correction mark instructing that spacing between words or letters be made even.

Officially standardisedVerified fact
Instructs that spacing between words or letters be made even.
Contexts: Technical drawing
Officially standardisedVerified fact
Marks every affected space rather than the range, so the compositor is told exactly which gaps are in question.
Contexts: Technical drawing

Short upright strokes placed in each space that is to be adjusted, answered by a single marginal mark.

IdentityHigh confidence: High confidence because the identity is defined by a current official standard, but only a single source has been found so far.
Historical originLow confidence: Low confidence because the historical origin is documented in encyclopedic references, but only a single source has been found so far, but early or supporting evidence is limited, but the regional or cultural match to this specific claim is not precise.
Current useHigh confidence: High confidence because the current use is defined by a current official standard, but only a single source has been found so far.
Visual matchModerate confidence: Moderate confidence because the visual match is documented in encyclopedic references, but only a single source has been found so far.

BS 5261 — Copy preparation and proof correction
British Standards Institution · retrieved 2026-08-21
The British Standard defining proof-correction marks and their marginal counterparts. Paywalled, so records describe the marks as documented in secondary summaries of the standard rather than quoting its text. Authoritative for British practice; American convention differs in several marks.

Last reviewed 2026-08-24

Meanings

The proof correction mark instructing that spacing between words or letters be made even.

Officially standardisedVerified fact

Instructs that spacing between words or letters be made even.

Officially standardisedVerified fact

Marks every affected space rather than the range, so the compositor is told exactly which gaps are in question.

Confidence

IdentityHigh confidence: High confidence because the identity is defined by a current official standard, but only a single source has been found so far.
Historical originLow confidence: Low confidence because the historical origin is documented in encyclopedic references, but only a single source has been found so far, but early or supporting evidence is limited, but the regional or cultural match to this specific claim is not precise.
Current useHigh confidence: High confidence because the current use is defined by a current official standard, but only a single source has been found so far.
Visual matchModerate confidence: Moderate confidence because the visual match is documented in encyclopedic references, but only a single source has been found so far.

Sources

BS 5261 — Copy preparation and proof correction
British Standards Institution · retrieved 2026-08-21
The British Standard defining proof-correction marks and their marginal counterparts. Paywalled, so records describe the marks as documented in secondary summaries of the standard rather than quoting its text. Authoritative for British practice; American convention differs in several marks.

Last reviewed 2026-08-24