An exposure method forms a plurality of patterns on a substrate, which is set on a stage of an exposure apparatus, through at least one mask. The method equalizes first positional linear error components of a pattern to be formed by the mask on a first coordinate system defined on the substrate to second positional linear error components of the pattern on a second coordinate system on which the stage is moved, by correcting coordinates for moving the stage on the second coordinate system. The method is capable of aligning the boundaries of patterns with each other on the substrate, to leave only positional linear error components on the patterns. These positional linear error components are removable to leave minimum random residual errors on the patterns, and therefore, the patterns on the substrate are precisely at specified positions.