# correct

/kɝˈɛkt/ (US) · /kəɹˈɛkt/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/correct
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. accurate or true

adjective · CEFR A1

having no mistakes; being right or true.

For teachers: free from error; conforming to fact or truth.

- Please check your work to make sure all the answers are correct.
- The witness provided a correct account of the events, which helped the police identify the suspect quickly.

### 2. socially acceptable

adjective · CEFR B2 · Formal

following the rules of good manners or what is expected in a situation.

For teachers: conforming to accepted social standards or professional etiquette.

- It is considered correct to send a thank-you note after a job interview.
- While his tone was perfectly correct, there was a subtle coldness in his voice that made the guests feel unwelcome.

Teaching tip: This sense is often used in professional or high-society contexts regarding 'correct behavior' or 'correct attire'.

### 3. to fix a mistake

verb · CEFR A2

to change something so that it is right instead of wrong.

For teachers: to rectify an error or inaccuracy in a text, calculation, or action.

- The teacher used a red pen to correct the spelling mistakes in my essay.
- The software automatically corrects common typographical errors as you type, saving significant time during the editing process.

Usage: This is a transitive verb and requires a direct object.

### 4. to grade work

verb · CEFR B1 · British English

to look at a student's work and mark what is right or wrong.

For teachers: to assess and mark errors in an examination or assignment.

- It took the professor all weekend to correct the final exam papers.
- After correcting the mid-term scripts, the tutor realized that most of the class had misunderstood the third question.

Teaching tip: In American English, 'grade' or 'mark' is much more common for this specific activity.

### 5. to tell someone they are wrong

verb · CEFR B1

to tell someone that what they just said or did was a mistake.

For teachers: to inform a person that they have made an error, often by providing the right information.

- I am sorry to correct you, but the meeting is actually at three o'clock.
- She felt the need to correct her colleague during the presentation when he cited the wrong quarterly figures.

Teaching tip: Note that correcting someone can sometimes be seen as rude depending on the social context.

### 6. yes / that is right

interjection · CEFR A2

a word you say to show that someone else is right.

For teachers: used as an affirmative response to confirm the accuracy of a statement.

- 'So the total is fifty dollars?' 'Correct.'
- 'You are suggesting that the project be delayed by two weeks?' 'Correct; we cannot proceed without the final safety report.'

Teaching tip: This can sound quite formal or clinical; in casual speech, people often just say 'right' or 'yeah'.

## Examples

- Please correct any mistakes you find in the text.
- The teacher spent the entire evening using a red pen to correct the students' essays.
- The software is designed to automatically correct minor coding errors, though complex logic flaws still require manual intervention by a senior developer.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.