Index: src/app/qgisapp.cpp
===================================================================
--- src/app/qgisapp.cpp	(revision 14496)
+++ src/app/qgisapp.cpp	(working copy)
@@ -873,33 +873,37 @@
   mActionZoomOut->setStatusTip( tr( "Zoom Out" ) );
   connect( mActionZoomOut, SIGNAL( triggered() ), this, SLOT( zoomOut() ) );
 
-  mActionSelect = new QAction( getThemeIcon( "mActionSelect.png" ), tr( "Select Features" ) , this );
+  QString singleSelectOptTip( tr( ", hold ctrl to add/subtract current selection" ) );
+
+  mActionSelect = new QAction( getThemeIcon( "mActionSelect.png" ), tr( "Select single feature" ) , this );
   shortcuts->registerAction( mActionSelect );
-  mActionSelect->setStatusTip( tr( "Select Features" ) );
+  mActionSelect->setStatusTip( tr( "Select single features" ) + singleSelectOptTip );
   connect( mActionSelect, SIGNAL( triggered() ), this, SLOT( select() ) );
   mActionSelect->setEnabled( false );
 
+  QString selectOptionTip( tr( ", hold shift to select by containment" ) + singleSelectOptTip );
+  
   mActionSelectRectangle = new QAction( getThemeIcon( "mActionSelectRectangle.png" ), tr( "Select features by rectangle" ), this );
   shortcuts->registerAction( mActionSelectRectangle );
-  mActionSelectRectangle->setStatusTip( tr( "Select features by rectangle" ) );
+  mActionSelectRectangle->setStatusTip( tr( "Select features by rectangle" ) + selectOptionTip );
   connect( mActionSelectRectangle, SIGNAL( triggered() ), this, SLOT( selectByRectangle() ) );
   mActionSelectRectangle->setEnabled( false );
 
   mActionSelectPolygon = new QAction( getThemeIcon( "mActionSelectPolygon.png" ), tr( "Select features by polygon" ), this );
   shortcuts->registerAction( mActionSelectPolygon );
-  mActionSelectPolygon->setStatusTip( tr( "Select features by polygon" ) );
+  mActionSelectPolygon->setStatusTip( tr( "Select features by polygon" ) + selectOptionTip );
   connect( mActionSelectPolygon, SIGNAL( triggered() ), this, SLOT( selectByPolygon() ) );
   mActionSelectPolygon->setEnabled( false );
 
   mActionSelectFreehand = new QAction( getThemeIcon( "mActionSelectFreehand.png" ), tr( "Select features by freehand" ), this );
   shortcuts->registerAction( mActionSelectFreehand );
-  mActionSelectFreehand->setStatusTip( tr( "Select features by freehand" ) );
+  mActionSelectFreehand->setStatusTip( tr( "Select features by freehand" ) + selectOptionTip );
   connect( mActionSelectFreehand, SIGNAL( triggered() ), this, SLOT( selectByFreehand() ) );
   mActionSelectFreehand->setEnabled( false );
 
   mActionSelectRadius = new QAction( getThemeIcon( "mActionSelectRadius.png" ), tr( "Select features by radius" ), this );
   shortcuts->registerAction( mActionSelectRadius );
-  mActionSelectRadius->setStatusTip( tr( "Select features by radius" ) );
+  mActionSelectRadius->setStatusTip( tr( "Select features by radius" ) + selectOptionTip);
   connect( mActionSelectRadius, SIGNAL( triggered() ), this, SLOT( selectByRadius() ) );
   mActionSelectRadius->setEnabled( false );
 
Index: src/app/qgsmaptoolselect.cpp
===================================================================
--- src/app/qgsmaptoolselect.cpp	(revision 14496)
+++ src/app/qgsmaptoolselect.cpp	(working copy)
@@ -46,9 +46,8 @@
   QgsMapToolSelectUtils::expandSelectRectangle( selectRect, vlayer, e->pos() );
   QgsMapToolSelectUtils::setRubberBand( mCanvas, selectRect, &rubberBand );
   QgsGeometry* selectGeom = rubberBand.asGeometry();
-  bool addSelection = e->modifiers() & Qt::ControlModifier ? true : false;
-  bool substractSelection = e->modifiers() & Qt::ShiftModifier ? true : false;
-  QgsMapToolSelectUtils::setSelectFeatures( mCanvas, selectGeom, false, addSelection, substractSelection, true );
+  bool doDifference = e->modifiers() & Qt::ControlModifier ? true : false;
+  QgsMapToolSelectUtils::setSelectFeatures( mCanvas, selectGeom, false, doDifference, true );
   delete selectGeom;
   rubberBand.reset( true );
 }
Index: src/app/qgsmaptoolselectutils.cpp
===================================================================
--- src/app/qgsmaptoolselectutils.cpp	(revision 14496)
+++ src/app/qgsmaptoolselectutils.cpp	(working copy)
@@ -81,8 +81,7 @@
 void QgsMapToolSelectUtils::setSelectFeatures( QgsMapCanvas* canvas,
     QgsGeometry* selectGeometry,
     bool doContains,
-    bool addSelection,
-    bool substractSelection,
+    bool doDifference,
     bool singleSelect )
 {
   if( selectGeometry->type() != QGis::Polygon )
@@ -124,8 +123,7 @@
   QgsDebugMsg( "Selection layer: " + vlayer->name() );
   QgsDebugMsg( "Selection polygon: " + selectGeomTrans.exportToWkt() );
   QgsDebugMsg( "doContains: " + QString( doContains ? "T" : "F" ) );
-  QgsDebugMsg( "addSelection: " + QString( addSelection ? "T" : "F" ) );
-  QgsDebugMsg( "substractSelection: " + QString( substractSelection ? "T" : "F" ) );
+  QgsDebugMsg( "doDifference: " + QString( doDifference ? "T" : "F" ) );
 
   vlayer->select( QgsAttributeList(), selectGeomTrans.boundingBox(), true, true );
 
@@ -161,30 +159,24 @@
     newSelectedFeatures.insert( closestFeatureId );
   }
 
-  QgsDebugMsg( "Number of selected features: " + QString::number( newSelectedFeatures.size() ) );
+  QgsDebugMsg( "Number of new selected features: " + QString::number( newSelectedFeatures.size() ) );
 
   QgsFeatureIds layerSelectedFeatures;
-  if( addSelection )
+  if( doDifference )
   {
     layerSelectedFeatures = vlayer->selectedFeaturesIds();
     QgsFeatureIds::const_iterator i = newSelectedFeatures.constEnd();
     while( i != newSelectedFeatures.constBegin() )
     {
       --i;
-      layerSelectedFeatures.insert( *i );
-    }
-  }
-  else if( substractSelection )
-  {
-    layerSelectedFeatures = vlayer->selectedFeaturesIds();
-    QgsFeatureIds::const_iterator i = newSelectedFeatures.constEnd();
-    while( i != newSelectedFeatures.constBegin() )
-    {
-      --i;
-      if( layerSelectedFeatures.contains( *i ) )
+      if( layerSelectedFeatures.contains( *i ) )
       {
         layerSelectedFeatures.remove( *i );
       }
+      else
+      {
+        layerSelectedFeatures.insert( *i );
+      }
     }
   }
   else
@@ -198,8 +190,7 @@
 
 void QgsMapToolSelectUtils::setSelectFeatures( QgsMapCanvas* canvas, QgsGeometry* selectGeometry, QMouseEvent * e )
 {
-  bool doContains = e->modifiers() & Qt::AltModifier ? true : false;
-  bool addSelection = e->modifiers() & Qt::ControlModifier ? true : false;
-  bool substractSelection = e->modifiers() & Qt::ShiftModifier ? true : false;
-  setSelectFeatures( canvas, selectGeometry, doContains, addSelection, substractSelection );
+  bool doContains = e->modifiers() & Qt::ShiftModifier ? true : false;
+  bool doDifference = e->modifiers() & Qt::ControlModifier ? true : false;
+  setSelectFeatures( canvas, selectGeometry, doContains, doDifference );
 }
Index: src/app/qgsmaptoolselectutils.h
===================================================================
--- src/app/qgsmaptoolselectutils.h	(revision 14496)
+++ src/app/qgsmaptoolselectutils.h	(working copy)
@@ -40,17 +40,14 @@
     must be in terms of the canvas coordinate system.
     @param doContains Features will only be selected if contained within the
     selection rubber band.
-    @param addSelection New selected features will be added to the layer's
-    currently selected features.
-    @param substractSelection New selected features will be subtracted from
-    the layer's currently selected features.
+    @param doDifference Take the symmetric difference of the the current selected
+    features and the new features found within the provided selectGeometry.
     @param singleSelect Only selects the closest feature to the selectGeometry.
   */
   void setSelectFeatures( QgsMapCanvas* canvas,
                           QgsGeometry* selectGeometry,
                           bool doContains = true,
-                          bool addSelection = false,
-                          bool substractSelection = false,
+                          bool doDifference = false,
                           bool singleSelect = false );
 
   /**