PURPOSE: To maintain a high alignment accuracy even if the change of a shot array occurs during exposure due to a thermal distortion while providing the features of an aligning method of an EGA type for obtaining the averaging effect of a measured value by maintaining a high throughput.

CONSTITUTION: The exposed surface of a wafer W is divided into three partial exposure regions 21A to 21C. In the first region 21A, the positions of wafer marks attached to four sample shots SA1 to SA4 selected from the inner shot regions are measured, the alignment of an EGA type is conducted on the basis of the measured results to be exposed. Even in the second and third regions 21B and 21C, the positions of the predetermined number of sample shots are measured and the alignment of the EGA type is conducted on the basis of the measured results to be exposed.