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An efficient and systematic LL(1) error recovery method is presented that has been implemented for an LL(1) parser generator. Error messages which provide good diagnostic information are generated automatically. Error correction is done by discarding some input symbols and popping up some symbols from the parsing‐stack in order to restore the parser to a valid configuration. Thus, symbol deletions and insertions are simulated. The choice between different possible corrections is made by comparing the cost of the inserted (popped) symbols with the reliability value of the recovery symbol (the first input symbol that is not discarded). Our concept of reliability is based on the observation that input symbols differ from each other in their ability to serve as recovery points. A high reliability value of a symbol asserts that it was probably not placed in the input by accident. So it is reasonable not to discard that symbol …