diff --git a/src/rustc/middle/typeck/astconv.rs b/src/rustc/middle/typeck/astconv.rs
index 2561c66940a..b171f9fc041 100644
--- a/src/rustc/middle/typeck/astconv.rs
+++ b/src/rustc/middle/typeck/astconv.rs
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ fn ast_path_to_substs_and_ty<AC: ast_conv, RS: region_scope copy>(
       (ast::rp_none, some(_)) {
         tcx.sess.span_err(
             path.span,
-            #fmt["No region bound is permitted on %s, \
+            #fmt["no region bound is permitted on %s, \
                   which is not declared as containing region pointers",
                  ty::item_path_str(tcx, did)]);
         none
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@ fn ast_path_to_substs_and_ty<AC: ast_conv, RS: region_scope copy>(
     if !vec::same_length(*decl_bounds, path.types) {
         self.tcx().sess.span_fatal(
             path.span,
-            #fmt["wrong number of type arguments, expected %u but found %u",
+            #fmt["wrong number of type arguments: expected %u but found %u",
                  (*decl_bounds).len(), path.types.len()]);
     }
     let tps = path.types.map(|a_t| ast_ty_to_ty(self, rscope, a_t));
@@ -181,7 +181,7 @@ fn ast_ty_to_ty<AC: ast_conv, RS: region_scope copy>(
           _ {
             tcx.sess.span_err(
                 a_seq_ty.span,
-                #fmt["Bound not allowed on a %s.",
+                #fmt["bound not allowed on a %s",
                      ty::ty_sort_str(tcx, seq_ty)]);
             ret seq_ty;
           }
@@ -195,7 +195,7 @@ fn ast_ty_to_ty<AC: ast_conv, RS: region_scope copy>(
             if path.types.len() > 0u {
                 tcx.sess.span_err(
                     path.span,
-                    "Type parameters are not allowed on this type.");
+                    "type parameters are not allowed on this type");
             }
         }
 
@@ -203,7 +203,7 @@ fn ast_ty_to_ty<AC: ast_conv, RS: region_scope copy>(
             if path.rp.is_some() {
                 tcx.sess.span_err(
                     path.span,
-                    "Region parameters are not allowed on this type.");
+                    "region parameters are not allowed on this type");
             }
         }
     }
@@ -213,9 +213,9 @@ fn ast_ty_to_ty<AC: ast_conv, RS: region_scope copy>(
     alt tcx.ast_ty_to_ty_cache.find(ast_ty) {
       some(ty::atttce_resolved(ty)) { ret ty; }
       some(ty::atttce_unresolved) {
-        tcx.sess.span_fatal(ast_ty.span, "illegal recursive type. \
+        tcx.sess.span_fatal(ast_ty.span, "illegal recursive type; \
                                           insert an enum in the cycle, \
-                                          if this is desired)");
+                                          if this is desired");
       }
       none { /* go on */ }
     }
diff --git a/src/test/compile-fail/prim-with-args.rs b/src/test/compile-fail/prim-with-args.rs
index 6edb9cb59d8..bb97c7b4bef 100644
--- a/src/test/compile-fail/prim-with-args.rs
+++ b/src/test/compile-fail/prim-with-args.rs
@@ -1,29 +1,29 @@
 fn main() {
 
-let x: int<int>; //~ ERROR Type parameters are not allowed on this type.
-let x: i8<int>; //~ ERROR Type parameters are not allowed on this type.
-let x: i16<int>; //~ ERROR Type parameters are not allowed on this type.
-let x: i32<int>; //~ ERROR Type parameters are not allowed on this type.
-let x: i64<int>; //~ ERROR Type parameters are not allowed on this type.
-let x: uint<int>; //~ ERROR Type parameters are not allowed on this type.
-let x: u8<int>; //~ ERROR Type parameters are not allowed on this type.
-let x: u16<int>; //~ ERROR Type parameters are not allowed on this type.
-let x: u32<int>; //~ ERROR Type parameters are not allowed on this type.
-let x: u64<int>; //~ ERROR Type parameters are not allowed on this type.
-let x: float<int>; //~ ERROR Type parameters are not allowed on this type.
-let x: char<int>; //~ ERROR Type parameters are not allowed on this type.
+let x: int<int>; //~ ERROR type parameters are not allowed on this type
+let x: i8<int>; //~ ERROR type parameters are not allowed on this type
+let x: i16<int>; //~ ERROR type parameters are not allowed on this type
+let x: i32<int>; //~ ERROR type parameters are not allowed on this type
+let x: i64<int>; //~ ERROR type parameters are not allowed on this type
+let x: uint<int>; //~ ERROR type parameters are not allowed on this type
+let x: u8<int>; //~ ERROR type parameters are not allowed on this type
+let x: u16<int>; //~ ERROR type parameters are not allowed on this type
+let x: u32<int>; //~ ERROR type parameters are not allowed on this type
+let x: u64<int>; //~ ERROR type parameters are not allowed on this type
+let x: float<int>; //~ ERROR type parameters are not allowed on this type
+let x: char<int>; //~ ERROR type parameters are not allowed on this type
 
-let x: int/&; //~ ERROR Region parameters are not allowed on this type.
-let x: i8/&; //~ ERROR Region parameters are not allowed on this type.
-let x: i16/&; //~ ERROR Region parameters are not allowed on this type.
-let x: i32/&; //~ ERROR Region parameters are not allowed on this type.
-let x: i64/&; //~ ERROR Region parameters are not allowed on this type.
-let x: uint/&; //~ ERROR Region parameters are not allowed on this type.
-let x: u8/&; //~ ERROR Region parameters are not allowed on this type.
-let x: u16/&; //~ ERROR Region parameters are not allowed on this type.
-let x: u32/&; //~ ERROR Region parameters are not allowed on this type.
-let x: u64/&; //~ ERROR Region parameters are not allowed on this type.
-let x: float/&; //~ ERROR Region parameters are not allowed on this type.
-let x: char/&; //~ ERROR Region parameters are not allowed on this type.
+let x: int/&; //~ ERROR region parameters are not allowed on this type
+let x: i8/&; //~ ERROR region parameters are not allowed on this type
+let x: i16/&; //~ ERROR region parameters are not allowed on this type
+let x: i32/&; //~ ERROR region parameters are not allowed on this type
+let x: i64/&; //~ ERROR region parameters are not allowed on this type
+let x: uint/&; //~ ERROR region parameters are not allowed on this type
+let x: u8/&; //~ ERROR region parameters are not allowed on this type
+let x: u16/&; //~ ERROR region parameters are not allowed on this type
+let x: u32/&; //~ ERROR region parameters are not allowed on this type
+let x: u64/&; //~ ERROR region parameters are not allowed on this type
+let x: float/&; //~ ERROR region parameters are not allowed on this type
+let x: char/&; //~ ERROR region parameters are not allowed on this type
 
 }
diff --git a/src/test/compile-fail/regions-bounds.rs b/src/test/compile-fail/regions-bounds.rs
index 9eef8c1a643..ae9f16ae714 100644
--- a/src/test/compile-fail/regions-bounds.rs
+++ b/src/test/compile-fail/regions-bounds.rs
@@ -19,8 +19,8 @@ fn a_fn3(e: a_class/&a) -> a_class/&b {
 }
 
 fn a_fn4(e: int/&a) -> int/&b {
-    //~^ ERROR Region parameters are not allowed on this type.
-    //~^^ ERROR Region parameters are not allowed on this type.
+    //~^ ERROR region parameters are not allowed on this type
+    //~^^ ERROR region parameters are not allowed on this type
     ret e;
 }