diff --git a/login-utils/chsh.c b/login-utils/chsh.c
index fe610726f..4795bdd58 100644
--- a/login-utils/chsh.c
+++ b/login-utils/chsh.c
@@ -87,9 +87,9 @@ static boolean get_shell_list (char *shell);
 static void __attribute__((__noreturn__)) usage (FILE *fp)
 {
     fprintf (fp,
-	     _("Usage: %s [ -s shell ] [ --list-shells ] "
-	       "[ --help ] [ --version ]\n"
-	       "       [ username ]\n"), whoami);
+	     _("Usage: %1$s [-s shell] [username]\n"
+	       "   or: %1$s (--list-shells | --help | --version)\n"),
+	     whoami);
 
     exit(fp == stderr ? EXIT_FAILURE : EXIT_SUCCESS);
 }
diff --git a/login-utils/ttymsg.c b/login-utils/ttymsg.c
index 92282c127..a4df59e6c 100644
--- a/login-utils/ttymsg.c
+++ b/login-utils/ttymsg.c
@@ -171,7 +171,8 @@ ttymsg(struct iovec *iov, int iovcnt, char *line, int tmout) {
 		if (forked)
 			_exit(1);
 		if (strlen(strerror(errno)) > 1000)
-			(void) sprintf(errbuf, _("%s: BAD ERROR"), device);
+			(void) sprintf(errbuf, _("%s: BAD ERROR, message is "
+						 "far too long"), device);
 		else {
 			errsv = errno;
 			(void) sprintf(errbuf, "%s: %s", device,
diff --git a/misc-utils/findmnt.c b/misc-utils/findmnt.c
index 19a15fb58..e87c70aa3 100644
--- a/misc-utils/findmnt.c
+++ b/misc-utils/findmnt.c
@@ -383,7 +383,7 @@ static struct libmnt_table *parse_tabfile(const char *path)
 
 	if (rc) {
 		mnt_free_table(tb);
-		warn(_("can't read: %s"), path);
+		warn(_("can't read %s"), path);
 		return NULL;
 	}
 	return tb;
diff --git a/partx/partx.c b/partx/partx.c
index 84cb1a17f..ae2648526 100644
--- a/partx/partx.c
+++ b/partx/partx.c
@@ -593,7 +593,7 @@ static void __attribute__((__noreturn__)) usage(FILE *out)
 
 	fprintf(out, _(
 		"\nUsage:\n"
-		" %s [-a|-d|-s] [--nr <N:M> | <device>] <wholedisk>\n"),
+		" %s [-a|-d|-s] [--nr <N:M> | <partition>] <disk>\n"),
 		program_invocation_short_name);
 
 	fprintf(out, _(
@@ -607,8 +607,8 @@ static void __attribute__((__noreturn__)) usage(FILE *out)
 		" -g, --noheadings     don't print headings for --show\n"
 		" -r, --raw            use raw format output\n"
 		" -t, --type <TYPE>    specify the partition type (dos, bsd, solaris, etc.)\n"
-		" -n, --nr <M:N>       specify the range of partitions (--nr 2:4)\n"
-		" -o, --output <LIST>  output column\n"
+		" -n, --nr <M:N>       specify the range of partitions (e.g. --nr 2:4)\n"
+		" -o, --output <LIST>  define which output columns to use\n"
 		" -h, --help           print this help\n\n"));
 
 	fprintf(out, _("\nAvailable columns (for --show):\n"));
diff --git a/shlibs/mount/samples/mount.c b/shlibs/mount/samples/mount.c
index 38960f8dc..ed3c99a9b 100644
--- a/shlibs/mount/samples/mount.c
+++ b/shlibs/mount/samples/mount.c
@@ -305,7 +305,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 		case 'L':
 		case 'U':
 			if (source)
-				errx(EX_USAGE, _("only one <source> could be specified"));
+				errx(EX_USAGE, _("only one <source> may be specified"));
 			if (asprintf(&srcbuf, "%s=\"%s\"",
 				     c == 'L' ? "LABEL" : "UUID", optarg) <= 0)
 				err(EX_SYSERR, _("failed to allocate source buffer"));
diff --git a/sys-utils/lscpu.c b/sys-utils/lscpu.c
index 373fee14a..0efc5217c 100644
--- a/sys-utils/lscpu.c
+++ b/sys-utils/lscpu.c
@@ -915,14 +915,15 @@ print_readable(struct lscpu_desc *desc, int hex)
 
 static void __attribute__((__noreturn__)) usage(FILE *out)
 {
-	fprintf(out, _("Usage: %s [option]\n"),
-			program_invocation_short_name);
+	fprintf(out, _(
+		"\nUsage:\n"
+		" %s [options]\n"), program_invocation_short_name);
 
-	fprintf(out,_("CPU architecture information helper\n\n"
-		"  -h, --help     usage information\n"
-		"  -p, --parse    print out in parsable instead of printable format.\n"
-		"  -s, --sysroot  use the directory as a new system root.\n"
-		"  -x, --hex      print haxadecimal masks rather than lists of CPU(s)\n"));
+	puts(_(	"\nOptions:\n"
+		"  -h, --help         print this help\n"
+		"  -p, --parse        print out a parsable instead of a readable format\n"
+		"  -s, --sysroot DIR  use directory DIR as system root\n"
+		"  -x, --hex          print hexadecimal masks rather than lists of CPUs\n"));
 
 	exit(out == stderr ? EXIT_FAILURE : EXIT_SUCCESS);
 }