diff --git a/src/commands/CmdAdd.cpp b/src/commands/CmdAdd.cpp
index 6e02f3f8d..5c5c5dfaa 100644
--- a/src/commands/CmdAdd.cpp
+++ b/src/commands/CmdAdd.cpp
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ extern Context context;
 CmdAdd::CmdAdd ()
 {
   _keyword     = "add";
-  _usage       = "task          add <modifications>";
+  _usage       = "task          add <mods>";
   _description = STRING_CMD_ADD_USAGE;
   _read_only   = false;
   _displays_id = false;
diff --git a/src/commands/CmdAnnotate.cpp b/src/commands/CmdAnnotate.cpp
index d5ed7537c..6dcba650f 100644
--- a/src/commands/CmdAnnotate.cpp
+++ b/src/commands/CmdAnnotate.cpp
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ extern Context context;
 CmdAnnotate::CmdAnnotate ()
 {
   _keyword     = "annotate";
-  _usage       = "task <filter> annotate <modifications>";
+  _usage       = "task <filter> annotate <mods>";
   _description = STRING_CMD_ANNO_USAGE;
   _read_only   = false;
   _displays_id = false;
diff --git a/src/commands/CmdAppend.cpp b/src/commands/CmdAppend.cpp
index 540bb1d28..94cd871e7 100644
--- a/src/commands/CmdAppend.cpp
+++ b/src/commands/CmdAppend.cpp
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ extern Context context;
 CmdAppend::CmdAppend ()
 {
   _keyword     = "append";
-  _usage       = "task <filter> append <modifications>";
+  _usage       = "task <filter> append <mods>";
   _description = STRING_CMD_APPEND_USAGE;
   _read_only   = false;
   _displays_id = false;
diff --git a/src/commands/CmdDelete.cpp b/src/commands/CmdDelete.cpp
index 08b1b171d..0a68fd7d1 100644
--- a/src/commands/CmdDelete.cpp
+++ b/src/commands/CmdDelete.cpp
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ extern Context context;
 CmdDelete::CmdDelete ()
 {
   _keyword     = "delete";
-  _usage       = "task <filter> delete [<modifications>]";
+  _usage       = "task <filter> delete <mods>";
   _description = STRING_CMD_DELETE_USAGE;
   _read_only   = false;
   _displays_id = false;
diff --git a/src/commands/CmdDone.cpp b/src/commands/CmdDone.cpp
index 447c3e9b2..83abe82e0 100644
--- a/src/commands/CmdDone.cpp
+++ b/src/commands/CmdDone.cpp
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ extern Context context;
 CmdDone::CmdDone ()
 {
   _keyword     = "done";
-  _usage       = "task <filter> done [<modifications>]";
+  _usage       = "task <filter> done <mods>";
   _description = STRING_CMD_DONE_USAGE;
   _read_only   = false;
   _displays_id = false;
diff --git a/src/commands/CmdDuplicate.cpp b/src/commands/CmdDuplicate.cpp
index 928444a44..59e840a08 100644
--- a/src/commands/CmdDuplicate.cpp
+++ b/src/commands/CmdDuplicate.cpp
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ extern Context context;
 CmdDuplicate::CmdDuplicate ()
 {
   _keyword     = "duplicate";
-  _usage       = "task <filter> duplicate [<modifications>]";
+  _usage       = "task <filter> duplicate <mods>";
   _description = STRING_CMD_DUPLICATE_USAGE;
   _read_only   = false;
   _displays_id = false;
diff --git a/src/commands/CmdLog.cpp b/src/commands/CmdLog.cpp
index 42d6f740f..fc289ac02 100644
--- a/src/commands/CmdLog.cpp
+++ b/src/commands/CmdLog.cpp
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ extern Context context;
 CmdLog::CmdLog ()
 {
   _keyword     = "log";
-  _usage       = "task          log <modifications>";
+  _usage       = "task          log <mods>";
   _description = STRING_CMD_LOG_USAGE;
   _read_only   = false;
   _displays_id = false;
diff --git a/src/commands/CmdModify.cpp b/src/commands/CmdModify.cpp
index b2529fa7f..cc8514bd3 100644
--- a/src/commands/CmdModify.cpp
+++ b/src/commands/CmdModify.cpp
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ extern Context context;
 CmdModify::CmdModify ()
 {
   _keyword     = "modify";
-  _usage       = "task <filter> modify <modifications>";
+  _usage       = "task <filter> modify <mods>";
   _description = std::string (STRING_CMD_MODIFY_USAGE1) +
                  "\n" +
                  STRING_CMD_MODIFY_USAGE2;
diff --git a/src/commands/CmdPrepend.cpp b/src/commands/CmdPrepend.cpp
index c16d091b0..49fc117c4 100644
--- a/src/commands/CmdPrepend.cpp
+++ b/src/commands/CmdPrepend.cpp
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ extern Context context;
 CmdPrepend::CmdPrepend ()
 {
   _keyword     = "prepend";
-  _usage       = "task <filter> prepend <modifications>";
+  _usage       = "task <filter> prepend <mods>";
   _description = STRING_CMD_PREPEND_USAGE;
   _read_only   = false;
   _displays_id = false;
diff --git a/src/commands/CmdStart.cpp b/src/commands/CmdStart.cpp
index 0811e12bb..d9715d469 100644
--- a/src/commands/CmdStart.cpp
+++ b/src/commands/CmdStart.cpp
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ extern Context context;
 CmdStart::CmdStart ()
 {
   _keyword     = "start";
-  _usage       = "task <filter> start [<modifications>]";
+  _usage       = "task <filter> start <mods>";
   _description = STRING_CMD_START_USAGE;
   _read_only   = false;
   _displays_id = false;
diff --git a/src/commands/CmdStop.cpp b/src/commands/CmdStop.cpp
index 13a2de71b..5d9ef57c9 100644
--- a/src/commands/CmdStop.cpp
+++ b/src/commands/CmdStop.cpp
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ extern Context context;
 CmdStop::CmdStop ()
 {
   _keyword     = "stop";
-  _usage       = "task <filter> stop [<modifications>]";
+  _usage       = "task <filter> stop <mods>";
   _description = STRING_CMD_STOP_USAGE;
   _read_only   = false;
   _displays_id = false;
diff --git a/src/en-US.h b/src/en-US.h
index 2d6c3269c..f547fed5e 100644
--- a/src/en-US.h
+++ b/src/en-US.h
@@ -605,19 +605,19 @@
   "http://taskwarrior.org\n" \
   "\n" \
   "The general form of commands is:\n" \
-  "  task <filter> <command> <modifications>\n" \
+  "  task <filter> <command> <mods>\n" \
   "\n" \
   "The <filter> consists of zero or more restrictions on which tasks to select, " \
   "such as:\n" \
-  "  task                                      <command> <modifications>\n" \
-  "  task 28                                   <command> <modifications>\n" \
-  "  task +weekend                             <command> <modifications>\n" \
-  "  task project:Home due.before:today        <command> <modifications>\n" \
-  "  task ebeeab00-ccf8-464b-8b58-f7f2d606edfb <command> <modifications>\n" \
+  "  task                                      <command> <mods>\n" \
+  "  task 28                                   <command> <mods>\n" \
+  "  task +weekend                             <command> <mods>\n" \
+  "  task project:Home due.before:today        <command> <mods>\n" \
+  "  task ebeeab00-ccf8-464b-8b58-f7f2d606edfb <command> <mods>\n" \
   "\n" \
   "By default, filter elements are combined with an implicit 'and' operator, but " \
   "'or' and 'xor' may also be used, provided parentheses are included:\n" \
-  "  task '(/[Cc]at|[Dd]og/ or /[0-9]+/)'      <command> <modifications>\n" \
+  "  task '(/[Cc]at|[Dd]og/ or /[0-9]+/)'      <command> <mods>\n" \
   "\n" \
   "A filter may target specific tasks using ID or UUID numbers.  To specify " \
   "multiple tasks use one of these forms:\n" \
@@ -626,8 +626,8 @@
   "  task 1,2-5,19                                 modify pri:H\n" \
   "  task 4-7 ebeeab00-ccf8-464b-8b58-f7f2d606edfb info\n" \
   "\n" \
-  "The <modifications> consist of zero or more changes to apply to the selected " \
-  "tasks, such as:\n" \
+  "The <mods> consist of zero or more changes to apply to the selected tasks, " \
+  "such as:\n" \
   "  task <filter> <command> project:Home\n" \
   "  task <filter> <command> +weekend +garden due:tomorrow\n" \
   "  task <filter> <command> Description/annotation text\n" \