diff --git a/t/t1400-update-ref.sh b/t/t1400-update-ref.sh
index 27171f8261..d0d36750bc 100755
--- a/t/t1400-update-ref.sh
+++ b/t/t1400-update-ref.sh
@@ -324,7 +324,7 @@ test_expect_success "create $m (logged by config)" '
 test_expect_success "update $m (logged by config)" '
 	test_config core.logAllRefUpdates true &&
 	GIT_COMMITTER_DATE="2005-05-26 23:33" \
-	git update-ref HEAD'" $B $A "'-m "Switch" &&
+	git update-ref HEAD $B $A -m "Switch" &&
 	test $B = $(git show-ref -s --verify $m)
 '
 test_expect_success "set $m (logged by config)" '
diff --git a/t/t3501-revert-cherry-pick.sh b/t/t3501-revert-cherry-pick.sh
index 7c1da21df1..3669dfb1be 100755
--- a/t/t3501-revert-cherry-pick.sh
+++ b/t/t3501-revert-cherry-pick.sh
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ test_expect_success 'cherry-pick --nonsense' '
 	git diff --exit-code HEAD &&
 	test_must_fail git cherry-pick --nonsense 2>msg &&
 	git diff --exit-code HEAD "$pos" &&
-	test_i18ngrep '[Uu]sage:' msg
+	test_i18ngrep "[Uu]sage:" msg
 '
 
 test_expect_success 'revert --nonsense' '
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ test_expect_success 'revert --nonsense' '
 	git diff --exit-code HEAD &&
 	test_must_fail git revert --nonsense 2>msg &&
 	git diff --exit-code HEAD "$pos" &&
-	test_i18ngrep '[Uu]sage:' msg
+	test_i18ngrep "[Uu]sage:" msg
 '
 
 test_expect_success 'cherry-pick after renaming branch' '
diff --git a/t/t3507-cherry-pick-conflict.sh b/t/t3507-cherry-pick-conflict.sh
index 752bc43487..f107622a9e 100755
--- a/t/t3507-cherry-pick-conflict.sh
+++ b/t/t3507-cherry-pick-conflict.sh
@@ -512,7 +512,7 @@ test_expect_success 'commit after failed cherry-pick adds -s at the right place'
 	Signed-off-by: C O Mitter <committer@example.com>
 	# Conflicts:
 	EOF
-	grep -e "^# Conflicts:" -e '^Signed-off-by' .git/COMMIT_EDITMSG >actual &&
+	grep -e "^# Conflicts:" -e "^Signed-off-by" .git/COMMIT_EDITMSG >actual &&
 	test_cmp expect actual &&
 
 	cat <<-\EOF >expected &&
@@ -541,7 +541,7 @@ test_expect_success 'commit --amend -s places the sign-off at the right place' '
 	Signed-off-by: C O Mitter <committer@example.com>
 	Conflicts:
 	EOF
-	grep -e "^Conflicts:" -e '^Signed-off-by' .git/COMMIT_EDITMSG >actual &&
+	grep -e "^Conflicts:" -e "^Signed-off-by" .git/COMMIT_EDITMSG >actual &&
 	test_cmp expect actual
 '
 
diff --git a/t/t4005-diff-rename-2.sh b/t/t4005-diff-rename-2.sh
index f542d2929d..d18a80493c 100755
--- a/t/t4005-diff-rename-2.sh
+++ b/t/t4005-diff-rename-2.sh
@@ -14,8 +14,8 @@ test_expect_success 'setup reference tree' '
 	git update-index --add COPYING rezrov &&
 	tree=$(git write-tree) &&
 	echo $tree &&
-	sed -e 's/HOWEVER/However/' <COPYING >COPYING.1 &&
-	sed -e 's/GPL/G.P.L/g' <COPYING >COPYING.2 &&
+	sed -e "s/HOWEVER/However/" <COPYING >COPYING.1 &&
+	sed -e "s/GPL/G.P.L/g" <COPYING >COPYING.2 &&
 	origoid=$(git hash-object COPYING) &&
 	oid1=$(git hash-object COPYING.1) &&
 	oid2=$(git hash-object COPYING.2)
diff --git a/t/t4034-diff-words.sh b/t/t4034-diff-words.sh
index fb145aa173..0c8fb39ced 100755
--- a/t/t4034-diff-words.sh
+++ b/t/t4034-diff-words.sh
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ test_expect_success 'word diff with runs of whitespace' '
 '
 
 test_expect_success '--word-diff=porcelain' '
-	sed 's/#.*$//' >expect <<-EOF &&
+	sed "s/#.*$//" >expect <<-EOF &&
 		diff --git a/pre b/post
 		index $pre..$post 100644
 		--- a/pre
diff --git a/t/t4104-apply-boundary.sh b/t/t4104-apply-boundary.sh
index 32e3b0ee0b..71ef4132d1 100755
--- a/t/t4104-apply-boundary.sh
+++ b/t/t4104-apply-boundary.sh
@@ -3,80 +3,55 @@
 # Copyright (c) 2005 Junio C Hamano
 #
 
-test_description='git apply boundary tests
+test_description='git apply boundary tests'
 
-'
 . ./test-lib.sh
 
 L="c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x"
 
 test_expect_success setup '
-	for i in b '"$L"' y
-	do
-		echo $i
-	done >victim &&
+	test_write_lines b $L y >victim &&
 	cat victim >original &&
 	git update-index --add victim &&
 
 	# add to the head
-	for i in a b '"$L"' y
-	do
-		echo $i
-	done >victim &&
+	test_write_lines a b $L y >victim &&
 	cat victim >add-a-expect &&
 	git diff victim >add-a-patch.with &&
 	git diff --unified=0 >add-a-patch.without &&
 
 	# insert at line two
-	for i in b a '"$L"' y
-	do
-		echo $i
-	done >victim &&
+	test_write_lines b a $L y >victim &&
 	cat victim >insert-a-expect &&
 	git diff victim >insert-a-patch.with &&
 	git diff --unified=0 >insert-a-patch.without &&
 
 	# modify at the head
-	for i in a '"$L"' y
-	do
-		echo $i
-	done >victim &&
+	test_write_lines a $L y >victim &&
 	cat victim >mod-a-expect &&
 	git diff victim >mod-a-patch.with &&
 	git diff --unified=0 >mod-a-patch.without &&
 
 	# remove from the head
-	for i in '"$L"' y
-	do
-		echo $i
-	done >victim &&
+	test_write_lines $L y >victim &&
 	cat victim >del-a-expect &&
 	git diff victim >del-a-patch.with &&
 	git diff --unified=0 >del-a-patch.without &&
 
 	# add to the tail
-	for i in b '"$L"' y z
-	do
-		echo $i
-	done >victim &&
+	test_write_lines b $L y z >victim &&
 	cat victim >add-z-expect &&
 	git diff victim >add-z-patch.with &&
 	git diff --unified=0 >add-z-patch.without &&
 
 	# modify at the tail
-	for i in b '"$L"' z
-	do
-		echo $i
-	done >victim &&
+	test_write_lines b $L z >victim &&
 	cat victim >mod-z-expect &&
 	git diff victim >mod-z-patch.with &&
 	git diff --unified=0 >mod-z-patch.without &&
 
 	# remove from the tail
-	for i in b '"$L"'
-	do
-		echo $i
-	done >victim &&
+	test_write_lines b $L >victim &&
 	cat victim >del-z-expect &&
 	git diff victim >del-z-patch.with &&
 	git diff --unified=0 >del-z-patch.without
@@ -88,15 +63,15 @@ for with in with without
 do
 	case "$with" in
 	with) u= ;;
-	without) u='--unidiff-zero ' ;;
+	without) u=--unidiff-zero ;;
 	esac
 	for kind in add-a add-z insert-a mod-a mod-z del-a del-z
 	do
 		test_expect_success "apply $kind-patch $with context" '
 			cat original >victim &&
 			git update-index victim &&
-			git apply --index '"$u$kind-patch.$with"' &&
-			test_cmp '"$kind"'-expect victim
+			git apply --index $u "$kind-patch.$with" &&
+			test_cmp "$kind-expect" victim
 		'
 	done
 done
@@ -110,13 +85,12 @@ do
 	test_expect_success "apply non-git $kind-patch without context" '
 		cat original >victim &&
 		git update-index victim &&
-		git apply --unidiff-zero --index '"$kind-ng.without"' &&
-		test_cmp '"$kind"'-expect victim
+		git apply --unidiff-zero --index "$kind-ng.without" &&
+		test_cmp "$kind-expect" victim
 	'
 done
 
 test_expect_success 'two lines' '
-
 	>file &&
 	git add file &&
 	echo aaa >file &&
@@ -125,11 +99,10 @@ test_expect_success 'two lines' '
 	echo bbb >file &&
 	git add file &&
 	test_must_fail git apply --check patch
-
 '
 
 test_expect_success 'apply patch with 3 context lines matching at end' '
-	{ echo a; echo b; echo c; echo d; } >file &&
+	test_write_lines a b c d >file &&
 	git add file &&
 	echo e >>file &&
 	git diff >patch &&
diff --git a/t/t4150-am.sh b/t/t4150-am.sh
index 94a2c76522..1da8ab120b 100755
--- a/t/t4150-am.sh
+++ b/t/t4150-am.sh
@@ -989,7 +989,7 @@ test_expect_success 'am -s unexpected trailer block' '
 	Signed-off-by: J C H <j@c.h>
 	EOF
 	git commit -F msg &&
-	git cat-file commit HEAD | sed -e '1,/^$/d' >original &&
+	git cat-file commit HEAD | sed -e "1,/^$/d" >original &&
 	git format-patch --stdout -1 >patch &&
 
 	git reset --hard HEAD^ &&
@@ -998,7 +998,7 @@ test_expect_success 'am -s unexpected trailer block' '
 		cat original &&
 		echo "Signed-off-by: $GIT_COMMITTER_NAME <$GIT_COMMITTER_EMAIL>"
 	) >expect &&
-	git cat-file commit HEAD | sed -e '1,/^$/d' >actual &&
+	git cat-file commit HEAD | sed -e "1,/^$/d" >actual &&
 	test_cmp expect actual &&
 
 	cat >msg <<-\EOF &&
@@ -1009,7 +1009,7 @@ test_expect_success 'am -s unexpected trailer block' '
 	EOF
 	git reset HEAD^ &&
 	git commit -F msg file &&
-	git cat-file commit HEAD | sed -e '1,/^$/d' >original &&
+	git cat-file commit HEAD | sed -e "1,/^$/d" >original &&
 	git format-patch --stdout -1 >patch &&
 
 	git reset --hard HEAD^ &&
@@ -1020,7 +1020,7 @@ test_expect_success 'am -s unexpected trailer block' '
 		echo &&
 		echo "Signed-off-by: $GIT_COMMITTER_NAME <$GIT_COMMITTER_EMAIL>"
 	) >expect &&
-	git cat-file commit HEAD | sed -e '1,/^$/d' >actual &&
+	git cat-file commit HEAD | sed -e "1,/^$/d" >actual &&
 	test_cmp expect actual
 '
 
diff --git a/t/t4200-rerere.sh b/t/t4200-rerere.sh
index d94d25e4f0..b12b43e9e9 100755
--- a/t/t4200-rerere.sh
+++ b/t/t4200-rerere.sh
@@ -363,7 +363,7 @@ test_expect_success 'set up an unresolved merge' '
 	git reset --hard &&
 	git checkout version2 &&
 	fifth=$(git rev-parse fifth) &&
-	echo "$fifth		branch 'fifth' of ." |
+	echo "$fifth		branch fifth of ." |
 	git fmt-merge-msg >msg &&
 	ancestor=$(git merge-base version2 fifth) &&
 	test_must_fail git merge-recursive "$ancestor" -- HEAD fifth &&
diff --git a/t/t5302-pack-index.sh b/t/t5302-pack-index.sh
index 119494bd64..c92e553a2f 100755
--- a/t/t5302-pack-index.sh
+++ b/t/t5302-pack-index.sh
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ test_expect_success 'setup' '
 	i=1 &&
 	while test $i -le 100
 	do
-		iii=$(printf '%03i' $i)
+		iii=$(printf "%03i" $i)
 		test-tool genrandom "bar" 200 > wide_delta_$iii &&
 		test-tool genrandom "baz $iii" 50 >> wide_delta_$iii &&
 		test-tool genrandom "foo"$i 100 > deep_delta_$iii &&
diff --git a/t/t5510-fetch.sh b/t/t5510-fetch.sh
index e567cba38d..25695dfe22 100755
--- a/t/t5510-fetch.sh
+++ b/t/t5510-fetch.sh
@@ -213,7 +213,7 @@ test_expect_success 'fetch tags when there is no tags' '
 test_expect_success 'fetch following tags' '
 
 	cd "$D" &&
-	git tag -a -m 'annotated' anno HEAD &&
+	git tag -a -m "annotated" anno HEAD &&
 	git tag light HEAD &&
 
 	mkdir four &&
@@ -335,7 +335,7 @@ test_expect_success 'bundle does not prerequisite objects' '
 test_expect_success 'bundle should be able to create a full history' '
 
 	cd "$D" &&
-	git tag -a -m '1.0' v1.0 master &&
+	git tag -a -m "1.0" v1.0 master &&
 	git bundle create bundle4 v1.0
 
 '
diff --git a/t/t5553-set-upstream.sh b/t/t5553-set-upstream.sh
index 81975ad8f9..7622981cbf 100755
--- a/t/t5553-set-upstream.sh
+++ b/t/t5553-set-upstream.sh
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ test_expect_success 'fetch --set-upstream http://nosuchdomain.example.com fails
 
 test_expect_success 'fetch --set-upstream with valid URL sets upstream to URL' '
 	clear_config other other2 &&
-	url="file://'"$PWD"'" &&
+	url="file://$PWD" &&
 	git fetch --set-upstream "$url" &&
 	check_config master "$url" HEAD &&
 	check_config_missing other &&
@@ -158,7 +158,7 @@ test_expect_success 'pull --set-upstream upstream with more than one branch does
 test_expect_success 'pull --set-upstream with valid URL sets upstream to URL' '
 	clear_config master other other2 &&
 	git checkout master &&
-	url="file://'"$PWD"'" &&
+	url="file://$PWD" &&
 	git pull --set-upstream "$url" &&
 	check_config master "$url" HEAD &&
 	check_config_missing other &&
@@ -168,7 +168,7 @@ test_expect_success 'pull --set-upstream with valid URL sets upstream to URL' '
 test_expect_success 'pull --set-upstream with valid URL and branch sets branch' '
 	clear_config master other other2 &&
 	git checkout master &&
-	url="file://'"$PWD"'" &&
+	url="file://$PWD" &&
 	git pull --set-upstream "$url" master &&
 	check_config master "$url" refs/heads/master &&
 	check_config_missing other &&
diff --git a/t/t6026-merge-attr.sh b/t/t6026-merge-attr.sh
index 5900358ce9..76a55f838c 100755
--- a/t/t6026-merge-attr.sh
+++ b/t/t6026-merge-attr.sh
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@ test_expect_success 'custom merge backend' '
 	o=$(git unpack-file master^:text) &&
 	a=$(git unpack-file side^:text) &&
 	b=$(git unpack-file master:text) &&
-	sh -c "./custom-merge $o $a $b 0 'text'" &&
+	sh -c "./custom-merge $o $a $b 0 text" &&
 	sed -e 1,3d $a >check-2 &&
 	cmp check-1 check-2 &&
 	rm -f $o $a $b
@@ -149,7 +149,7 @@ test_expect_success 'custom merge backend' '
 	o=$(git unpack-file master^:text) &&
 	a=$(git unpack-file anchor:text) &&
 	b=$(git unpack-file master:text) &&
-	sh -c "./custom-merge $o $a $b 0 'text'" &&
+	sh -c "./custom-merge $o $a $b 0 text" &&
 	sed -e 1,3d $a >check-2 &&
 	cmp check-1 check-2 &&
 	sed -e 1,3d -e 4q $a >check-3 &&
diff --git a/t/t7001-mv.sh b/t/t7001-mv.sh
index c978b6dee4..63d5f41a12 100755
--- a/t/t7001-mv.sh
+++ b/t/t7001-mv.sh
@@ -177,7 +177,7 @@ test_expect_success "Sergey Vlasov's test case" '
 	date >ab.c &&
 	date >ab/d &&
 	git add ab.c ab &&
-	git commit -m 'initial' &&
+	git commit -m "initial" &&
 	git mv ab a
 '
 
diff --git a/t/t7600-merge.sh b/t/t7600-merge.sh
index 5883a6adc3..1c85f75555 100755
--- a/t/t7600-merge.sh
+++ b/t/t7600-merge.sh
@@ -246,7 +246,7 @@ test_expect_success 'merge --squash c3 with c7' '
 	#	file
 	EOF
 	git cat-file commit HEAD >raw &&
-	sed -e '1,/^$/d' raw >actual &&
+	sed -e "1,/^$/d" raw >actual &&
 	test_cmp expect actual
 '
 
@@ -268,7 +268,7 @@ test_expect_success 'merge c3 with c7 with commit.cleanup = scissors' '
 	#	file
 	EOF
 	git cat-file commit HEAD >raw &&
-	sed -e '1,/^$/d' raw >actual &&
+	sed -e "1,/^$/d" raw >actual &&
 	test_i18ncmp expect actual
 '
 
@@ -292,7 +292,7 @@ test_expect_success 'merge c3 with c7 with --squash commit.cleanup = scissors' '
 	#	file
 	EOF
 	git cat-file commit HEAD >raw &&
-	sed -e '1,/^$/d' raw >actual &&
+	sed -e "1,/^$/d" raw >actual &&
 	test_i18ncmp expect actual
 '
 
diff --git a/t/t9001-send-email.sh b/t/t9001-send-email.sh
index ec261085ec..3d68570450 100755
--- a/t/t9001-send-email.sh
+++ b/t/t9001-send-email.sh
@@ -1551,7 +1551,7 @@ test_expect_success $PREREQ '8-bit and sendemail.transferencoding=quoted-printab
 		--smtp-server="$(pwd)/fake.sendmail" \
 		email-using-8bit \
 		2>errors >out &&
-	sed '1,/^$/d' msgtxt1 >actual &&
+	sed "1,/^$/d" msgtxt1 >actual &&
 	test_cmp expected actual
 '
 
@@ -1568,7 +1568,7 @@ test_expect_success $PREREQ '8-bit and sendemail.transferencoding=base64' '
 		--smtp-server="$(pwd)/fake.sendmail" \
 		email-using-8bit \
 		2>errors >out &&
-	sed '1,/^$/d' msgtxt1 >actual &&
+	sed "1,/^$/d" msgtxt1 >actual &&
 	test_cmp expected actual
 '
 
@@ -1594,7 +1594,7 @@ test_expect_success $PREREQ 'convert from quoted-printable to base64' '
 		--smtp-server="$(pwd)/fake.sendmail" \
 		email-using-qp \
 		2>errors >out &&
-	sed '1,/^$/d' msgtxt1 >actual &&
+	sed "1,/^$/d" msgtxt1 >actual &&
 	test_cmp expected actual
 '
 
@@ -1624,7 +1624,7 @@ test_expect_success $PREREQ 'CRLF and sendemail.transferencoding=quoted-printabl
 		--smtp-server="$(pwd)/fake.sendmail" \
 		email-using-crlf \
 		2>errors >out &&
-	sed '1,/^$/d' msgtxt1 >actual &&
+	sed "1,/^$/d" msgtxt1 >actual &&
 	test_cmp expected actual
 '
 
@@ -1641,7 +1641,7 @@ test_expect_success $PREREQ 'CRLF and sendemail.transferencoding=base64' '
 		--smtp-server="$(pwd)/fake.sendmail" \
 		email-using-crlf \
 		2>errors >out &&
-	sed '1,/^$/d' msgtxt1 >actual &&
+	sed "1,/^$/d" msgtxt1 >actual &&
 	test_cmp expected actual
 '
 
diff --git a/t/t9100-git-svn-basic.sh b/t/t9100-git-svn-basic.sh
index 3055943a22..e4bb22034e 100755
--- a/t/t9100-git-svn-basic.sh
+++ b/t/t9100-git-svn-basic.sh
@@ -63,16 +63,16 @@ test_expect_success "$name" '
 
 
 name='detect node change from file to directory #1'
-test_expect_success "$name" "
+test_expect_success "$name" '
 	mkdir dir/new_file &&
 	mv dir/file dir/new_file/file &&
 	mv dir/new_file dir/file &&
 	git update-index --remove dir/file &&
 	git update-index --add dir/file/file &&
-	git commit -m '$name' &&
+	git commit -m "$name" &&
 	test_must_fail git svn set-tree --find-copies-harder --rmdir \
 		remotes/git-svn..mybranch
-"
+'
 
 
 name='detect node change from directory to file #1'
diff --git a/t/t9401-git-cvsserver-crlf.sh b/t/t9401-git-cvsserver-crlf.sh
index 84787eee9a..c7a0dd84a4 100755
--- a/t/t9401-git-cvsserver-crlf.sh
+++ b/t/t9401-git-cvsserver-crlf.sh
@@ -167,10 +167,10 @@ test_expect_success 'adding files' '
 
 test_expect_success 'updating' '
     git pull gitcvs.git &&
-    echo 'hi' > subdir/newfile.bin &&
-    echo 'junk' > subdir/file.h &&
-    echo 'hi' > subdir/newfile.c &&
-    echo 'hello' >> binfile.bin &&
+    echo "hi" >subdir/newfile.bin &&
+    echo "junk" >subdir/file.h &&
+    echo "hi" >subdir/newfile.c &&
+    echo "hello" >>binfile.bin &&
     git add subdir/newfile.bin subdir/file.h subdir/newfile.c binfile.bin &&
     git commit -q -m "Add and change some files" &&
     git push gitcvs.git >/dev/null &&
diff --git a/t/t9402-git-cvsserver-refs.sh b/t/t9402-git-cvsserver-refs.sh
index cf31ace667..6436c91a3c 100755
--- a/t/t9402-git-cvsserver-refs.sh
+++ b/t/t9402-git-cvsserver-refs.sh
@@ -178,7 +178,7 @@ test_expect_success 'setup v1.2 on b1' '
 	mkdir cdir &&
 	echo "cdir/cfile" >cdir/cfile &&
 	git add -A cdir adir t3 t2 &&
-	git commit -q -m 'v1.2' &&
+	git commit -q -m "v1.2" &&
 	git tag v1.2 &&
 	git push --tags gitcvs.git b1:b1
 '