diff --git a/README.rst b/README.rst
index 46b8ce7..3ff9e2e 100644
--- a/README.rst
+++ b/README.rst
@@ -52,29 +52,29 @@ Command line usage
 
     optional arguments:
       -h, --help            show this help message and exit
-      --config path         User config file location (default: doc8.ini, tox.ini,
+      --config path         user config file location (default: doc8.ini, tox.ini,
                             pep8.ini, setup.cfg).
-      --allow-long-titles   Allow long section titles (default: False).
-      --ignore code         Ignore the given error code(s).
-      --no-sphinx           Do not ignore sphinx specific false positives.
-      --ignore-path path    Ignore the given directory or file (globs are
+      --allow-long-titles   allow long section titles (default: false).
+      --ignore code         ignore the given error code(s).
+      --no-sphinx           do not ignore sphinx specific false positives.
+      --ignore-path path    ignore the given directory or file (globs are
                             supported).
       --ignore-path-errors path
-                            Ignore the given specific errors in the provided file.
+                            ignore the given specific errors in the provided file.
       --default-extension extension
-                            Default file extension to use when a file is found
+                            default file extension to use when a file is found
                             without a file extension.
       --file-encoding encoding
-                            Override encoding to use when attempting to determine
+                            override encoding to use when attempting to determine
                             an input files text encoding (providing this avoids
                             using `chardet` to automatically detect encoding/s)
       --max-line-length int
-                            Maximum allowed line length (default: 79).
+                            maximum allowed line length (default: 79).
       -e extension, --extension extension
-                            Check file extensions of the given type (default:
+                            check file extensions of the given type (default:
                             .rst, .txt).
-      -v, --verbose         Run in verbose mode.
-      --version             Show the version and exit.
+      -v, --verbose         run in verbose mode.
+      --version             show the version and exit.
 
 Ini file usage
 **************
diff --git a/doc8/main.py b/doc8/main.py
index 0196328..4f2d4f5 100644
--- a/doc8/main.py
+++ b/doc8/main.py
@@ -280,36 +280,36 @@ def main():
         formatter_class=argparse.RawDescriptionHelpFormatter)
     default_configs = ", ".join(CONFIG_FILENAMES)
     parser.add_argument("paths", metavar='path', type=str, nargs='*',
-                        help=("Path to scan for doc files"
+                        help=("path to scan for doc files"
                               " (default: current directory)."),
                         default=[os.getcwd()])
     parser.add_argument("--config", metavar='path', action="append",
-                        help="User config file location"
+                        help="user config file location"
                              " (default: %s)." % default_configs,
                         default=[])
     parser.add_argument("--allow-long-titles", action="store_true",
-                        help="Allow long section titles (default: False).",
+                        help="allow long section titles (default: false).",
                         default=False)
     parser.add_argument("--ignore", action="append", metavar="code",
-                        help="Ignore the given error code(s).",
+                        help="ignore the given error code(s).",
                         type=split_set_type,
                         default=[])
     parser.add_argument("--no-sphinx", action="store_false",
-                        help="Do not ignore sphinx specific false positives.",
+                        help="do not ignore sphinx specific false positives.",
                         default=True, dest='sphinx')
     parser.add_argument("--ignore-path", action="append", default=[],
-                        help="Ignore the given directory or file (globs"
+                        help="ignore the given directory or file (globs"
                              " are supported).", metavar='path')
     parser.add_argument("--ignore-path-errors", action="append", default=[],
-                        help="Ignore the given specific errors in the"
+                        help="ignore the given specific errors in the"
                              " provided file.", metavar='path')
     parser.add_argument("--default-extension", action="store",
-                        help="Default file extension to use when a file is"
+                        help="default file extension to use when a file is"
                              " found without a file extension.",
                         default='', dest='default_extension',
                         metavar='extension')
     parser.add_argument("--file-encoding", action="store",
-                        help="Override encoding to use when attempting"
+                        help="override encoding to use when attempting"
                              " to determine an input files text encoding "
                              "(providing this avoids using `chardet` to"
                              " automatically detect encoding/s)",
@@ -317,18 +317,18 @@ def main():
                         metavar='encoding')
     parser.add_argument("--max-line-length", action="store", metavar="int",
                         type=int,
-                        help="Maximum allowed line"
+                        help="maximum allowed line"
                              " length (default: %s)." % MAX_LINE_LENGTH,
                         default=MAX_LINE_LENGTH)
     parser.add_argument("-e", "--extension", action="append",
                         metavar="extension",
-                        help="Check file extensions of the given type"
+                        help="check file extensions of the given type"
                              " (default: %s)." % ", ".join(FILE_PATTERNS),
                         default=list(FILE_PATTERNS))
     parser.add_argument("-v", "--verbose", dest="verbose", action='store_true',
-                        help="Run in verbose mode.", default=False)
+                        help="run in verbose mode.", default=False)
     parser.add_argument("--version", dest="version", action='store_true',
-                        help="Show the version and exit.", default=False)
+                        help="show the version and exit.", default=False)
     args = vars(parser.parse_args())
     if args.get('version'):
         print(version.version_string())