Corrective Patterns · Lesson 6 of 6

Alternation & Diagnostics.

The flat is the sideways correction. Three sub-waves down, three sub-waves up, five sub-waves down again. Slower and less directional than a zigzag. Most commonly appears as Wave 4 of an impulse, alternating with the sharper Wave 2 zigzag. This lesson covers the regular, expanded, and running variants and the typical locations where flats appear.

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Figure VI
The alternation principle in a full impulse
Wave Personality
Wave 1
The First Move
Skeptical

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Rule violated: Wave 4 cannot enter Wave 1's territory
Price Time W2: sharp (zigzag) W4: sideways (flat) Alternation: if W2 is sharp (zigzag), W4 tends to be sideways (flat or triangle). The two corrective forms alternate. W2: sideways (flat) W4: sharp (zigzag) Reverse case: if W2 was sideways, expect W4 to be sharp. The principle is alternation, not a fixed assignment. 1. Count W2 sub-waves: 5 or 3? 2. How deep does B retrace? 3. Is W4 sharp or sideways? 4. Does W4 alternate with W2? Real-time diagnostic: ask these questions in order. Each answer narrows the pattern type. Module workflow: identify position - count sub-waves - apply alternation - check Fib ratios - confirm or revise the count a b c a b c a b c a b c 1 2 3 4 5
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The Pattern Begins

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