To assess the effects of verbal reprimands on students' errors in daily class exercises, seven 15- to 17-year-olds in a Spanish II level class were required to respond verbally to fill-in-the-blank exercises covering Spanish grammar. An ABA design evaluated the effects of the teacher's reprimands for each incorrect response. During baseline there were no teacher reprimands, but throughout the study teacher praise was consistent for correct responses. A control class monitored any gross changes in the difficulty of the material presented. Findings showed that: (1) reprimands significantly decreased incorrect responses while praise and material difficulty remained constant, and (2) incorrect responses returned to their original level when baseline was imposed. Practical applications of reprimand use for academic behavior are discussed, and suggestions for further research in verbal reprimands and other forms of punishment of academic performance are provided. (Author/JM)