diff --git a/builtin/apply.c b/builtin/apply.c
index 8e4da2e1bd..205c9f8f33 100644
--- a/builtin/apply.c
+++ b/builtin/apply.c
@@ -3226,7 +3226,7 @@ static int load_patch_target(struct strbuf *buf,
 {
 	if (cached || check_index) {
 		if (read_file_or_gitlink(ce, buf))
-			return error(_("read of %s failed"), name);
+			return error(_("failed to read %s"), name);
 	} else if (name) {
 		if (S_ISGITLINK(expected_mode)) {
 			if (ce)
@@ -3237,7 +3237,7 @@ static int load_patch_target(struct strbuf *buf,
 			return error(_("reading from '%s' beyond a symbolic link"), name);
 		} else {
 			if (read_old_data(st, name, buf))
-				return error(_("read of %s failed"), name);
+				return error(_("failed to read %s"), name);
 		}
 	}
 	return 0;
@@ -3282,7 +3282,7 @@ static int load_preimage(struct image *image,
 			free_fragment_list(patch->fragments);
 			patch->fragments = NULL;
 		} else if (status) {
-			return error(_("read of %s failed"), patch->old_name);
+			return error(_("failed to read %s"), patch->old_name);
 		}
 	}
 
diff --git a/builtin/checkout.c b/builtin/checkout.c
index 3398c61e9a..05c7b71ca8 100644
--- a/builtin/checkout.c
+++ b/builtin/checkout.c
@@ -276,7 +276,7 @@ static int checkout_paths(const struct checkout_opts *opts,
 
 	hold_locked_index(lock_file, 1);
 	if (read_cache_preload(&opts->pathspec) < 0)
-		return error(_("corrupt index file"));
+		return error(_("index file corrupt"));
 
 	if (opts->source_tree)
 		read_tree_some(opts->source_tree, &opts->pathspec);
@@ -470,7 +470,7 @@ static int merge_working_tree(const struct checkout_opts *opts,
 
 	hold_locked_index(lock_file, 1);
 	if (read_cache_preload(NULL) < 0)
-		return error(_("corrupt index file"));
+		return error(_("index file corrupt"));
 
 	resolve_undo_clear();
 	if (opts->force) {
@@ -1138,7 +1138,7 @@ int cmd_checkout(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 		OPT_STRING('B', NULL, &opts.new_branch_force, N_("branch"),
 			   N_("create/reset and checkout a branch")),
 		OPT_BOOL('l', NULL, &opts.new_branch_log, N_("create reflog for new branch")),
-		OPT_BOOL(0, "detach", &opts.force_detach, N_("detach the HEAD at named commit")),
+		OPT_BOOL(0, "detach", &opts.force_detach, N_("detach HEAD at named commit")),
 		OPT_SET_INT('t', "track",  &opts.track, N_("set upstream info for new branch"),
 			BRANCH_TRACK_EXPLICIT),
 		OPT_STRING(0, "orphan", &opts.new_orphan_branch, N_("new-branch"), N_("new unparented branch")),
diff --git a/builtin/repack.c b/builtin/repack.c
index 858db38f52..01088196fb 100644
--- a/builtin/repack.c
+++ b/builtin/repack.c
@@ -378,7 +378,7 @@ int cmd_repack(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 					  item->string,
 					  exts[ext].name);
 			if (remove_path(fname))
-				warning(_("removing '%s' failed"), fname);
+				warning(_("failed to remove '%s'"), fname);
 			free(fname);
 		}
 	}