diff --git a/include/libfolia/folia_impl.h b/include/libfolia/folia_impl.h
index 22cbd06..200bbab 100644
--- a/include/libfolia/folia_impl.h
+++ b/include/libfolia/folia_impl.h
@@ -150,20 +150,18 @@ namespace folia {
 
     template <typename T>
       inline T *add_child( const std::string& txt ){
-      /// create a new XmlText as child of 'this'
+      /// create a new node of type T as child of 'this'
       /*!
 	\param txt an value to be assigned as a "text" attribute
-	\return a new FoliaElement
+	\return a pointer to a new T
 	this will not compile for any class that has NO IMPLEMENTATION for
-	setvalue(). (which ar most classes)
+	setvalue(). (which are most classes)
       */
       T *result = new T(this);
       result->setvalue( txt );
       return result;
     }
 
-    bool isSubClass( ElementType ) const;
-
     virtual void assignDoc( Document* ) = 0;
     virtual FoliaElement *parent() const = 0;
     virtual void set_parent( FoliaElement *p ) = 0;
@@ -386,10 +384,13 @@ namespace folia {
     virtual Word *addWord( const std::string& ="" ) = 0;
 
     // corrections
+    virtual bool hasNew() const NOT_IMPLEMENTED;
     virtual New *getNew() const NOT_IMPLEMENTED;
     virtual FoliaElement *getNew( size_t ) const NOT_IMPLEMENTED;
+    virtual bool hasOriginal() const NOT_IMPLEMENTED;
     virtual Original *getOriginal() const NOT_IMPLEMENTED;
     virtual FoliaElement *getOriginal( size_t ) const NOT_IMPLEMENTED;
+    virtual bool hasCurrent() const NOT_IMPLEMENTED;
     virtual Current *getCurrent() const NOT_IMPLEMENTED;
     virtual FoliaElement *getCurrent( size_t ) const NOT_IMPLEMENTED;
     virtual Correction *incorrection() const NOT_IMPLEMENTED;
diff --git a/src/folia_impl.cxx b/src/folia_impl.cxx
index e6053fb..7ebff8d 100644
--- a/src/folia_impl.cxx
+++ b/src/folia_impl.cxx
@@ -2200,7 +2200,7 @@ namespace folia {
       const FoliaElement *last = _data.back();
       if ( last && tp.debug() ){
 	DBG << "last is " << last << endl;
-	DBG << "isSubClass(AbstractWord) == " << last->isSubClass<AbstractWord>() << endl;
+	DBG << "isSubClass<AbstractWord>() == " << last->isSubClass<AbstractWord>() << endl;
 	DBG << "last->space() == " << last->space() << endl;
       }
       if ( last
diff --git a/src/folia_properties.cxx b/src/folia_properties.cxx
index 9a7200f..b3a4fac 100644
--- a/src/folia_properties.cxx
+++ b/src/folia_properties.cxx
@@ -2340,17 +2340,6 @@ namespace folia {
     return false;
   }
 
-  bool FoliaElement::isSubClass( ElementType t ) const {
-    /// check if this FoliaElement is a subclass of the ElementType \e t
-    /*!
-      \param t an ElementType
-      \return true if our class is a subclass of t
-      This is about C++ class inheritance: is our class a derivative of c's
-      class?
-    */
-    return folia::is_subtype( element_id(), t );
-  }
-
   bool isAttributeFeature( const string& att ){
     /// check if an attribute is to be handled as a feature
     /*!
diff --git a/src/folia_subclasses.cxx b/src/folia_subclasses.cxx
index 893a7c7..fedcae3 100644
--- a/src/folia_subclasses.cxx
+++ b/src/folia_subclasses.cxx
@@ -2234,8 +2234,7 @@ namespace folia {
     if ( !AbstractElement::addable( parent ) ){
       return false;
     }
-    vector<Current*> v = parent->select<Current>(false);
-    if ( !v.empty() ){
+    if ( parent->hasCurrent() ){
       throw XmlError( this,
 		      "Cant't add New element to Correction if there is a Current item" );
     }
@@ -2253,8 +2252,7 @@ namespace folia {
     if ( !AbstractElement::addable( parent ) ){
       return false;
     }
-    vector<Current*> v = parent->select<Current>(false);
-    if ( !v.empty() ){
+    if ( parent->hasCurrent() ){
       throw XmlError( this,
 		      "Cant't add Original element to Correction if there is a Current item" );
     }
@@ -2272,13 +2270,11 @@ namespace folia {
     if ( !AbstractElement::addable( parent ) ){
       return false;
     }
-    vector<New*> nv = parent->select<New>(false);
-    if ( !nv.empty() ){
+    if ( parent->hasNew() ){
       throw XmlError( this,
 		      "Cant't add Current element to Correction if there is a New item" );
     }
-    vector<Original*> ov = parent->select<Original>(false);
-    if ( !ov.empty() ){
+    if ( parent->hasOriginal() ){
       throw XmlError( this,
 		      "Cant't add Current element to Correction if there is an Original item" );
     }