Symbol/Abbr.

Decoded

Explanation

l.c.

lower case

This letter (with a line through it) should not be capitalized.

caps.

capitals

This letter or word (triple-underlined) should be capitalized.

delete

Take it out.

#

space

You need a space here, either between words or between lines.

^

insert

Insert a word or words at this point.

¶

paragraph

new ¶: Start a new paragraph here.
no ¶: There should not be a new paragraph here.

stet

let it stand

Your original is fine; my correction was mistaken.

sp.

spelling

This is misspelled. (Often I just circle a spelling error).

awk.

awkward

I can understand this, but it's not well said.

w.c.

word choice

This is not the right word; it can't be used in this way or in this context.

w.w.

wrong word

This word means something different than you seem to think it means.

n.s.w.

no such word

This word doesn't exist, at least not in good usage.

split inf.

split infinitive

In good English it is almost never permissible to put anything between the two words of an infinitive such as "to go".

abbr.

abbreviation

Most abbreviations like "20th" are out of place in formal prose.

contr.

contraction

Contractions like "don't" are out of place in formal prose.

purple

purple prose

Melodramatic, overwrought, or gushy language that should be toned down.

refers to?

It's unclear what noun this relative pronoun refers back to.

dangles

A dangling phrase; it isn't meant to attach to what it appears to attach to.  See the page on Dangling Phrases.

wow!

A "gee-whiz" word like "incredible" that comes across poorly in formal writing.

not a sentence

This looks like a sentence but it has no subject or no predicate, or it is framed as a subordinate clause that can't stand alone.

run-on

Two complete sentences can't be combined using only a comma to connect them.

cliché

A tired, overused word or phrase that one hopes not to see in written prose.