Sideways combination corrective waves (W-X-Y for double three; W-X-Y-X-Z for triple three). Price correction ends with wave W; subsequent components (Y, Z) provide time correction without significantly extending the price decline.
Description
Combination corrective waves (double three and triple three) consist of two or three simple corrective patterns connected by X waves. They are the sideways counterpart to double/triple zigzags. The key characteristic: price correction is largely complete after wave W — the subsequent Y and Z waves do not significantly extend the price decline. The combination serves primarily as time correction. Double three subdivides as 3-3-3 (W-X-Y); triple three as 3-3-3-3-3 (W-X-Y-X-Z).
Key Points
- Double three: W – X – Y (three components, wave structure 3-3-3)
- Triple three: W – X – Y – X – Z (five components, wave structure 3-3-3-3-3)
- W, Y, Z (actionary components): simple corrective patterns only — zigzag, flat, or triangle; NOT compound corrections
- Triangles: may only appear as the last actionary component (Y in double three; Z in triple three); not in W or X
- Zigzag: only one of W, Y, Z may be a zigzag
- X wave (reactive): any corrective form allowed; in triple three, the first X wave is not a triangle
- Five double-three patterns (from Figure 2-81): zigzag+flat, zigzag+triangle, flat+zigzag, flat+flat, flat+triangle
- Seven triple-three patterns (from Figure 2-82): all non-triangle-leading combinations of zigzag, flat, triangle
- Reality: real-world combinations rarely look like the idealized equal-width chart — sub-waves vary greatly in size and duration
