diff --git a/pmd/rulesets/java/design.xml b/pmd/rulesets/java/design.xml
index 30ddb54619..4993ec957f 100644
--- a/pmd/rulesets/java/design.xml
+++ b/pmd/rulesets/java/design.xml
@@ -1557,7 +1557,7 @@ public class Foo {
    		language="java"
          since="4.2"
         	class="net.sourceforge.pmd.lang.rule.XPathRule"
-        	message="No abstract method which means that the  keyword is most likely used to prevent instantiation. use a private or protected constructor instead."
+        	message="No abstract method which means that the keyword is most likely used to prevent instantiation. Use a private or protected constructor instead."
         	externalInfoUrl="http://pmd.sourceforge.net/rules/java/design.html#AbstractClassWithoutAnyMethod">
         <description><![CDATA[If the abstract class does not provides any methods, it may be just a data container that is not to be instantiated. In this case, it's probably
 			better to use a private or a protected constructor in order to prevent instantiation than make the class misleadingly abstract.
@@ -1590,11 +1590,11 @@ public class abstract Example {
    		language="java"
             	since="4.2"
 	        class="net.sourceforge.pmd.lang.rule.XPathRule"
-	        message="A switch with less than 3 branches is inefficient, use a if statement instead."
+	        message="A switch with less than three branches is inefficient, use a 'if statement' instead."
 	        externalInfoUrl="http://pmd.sourceforge.net/rules/java/design.html#TooFewBranchesForASwitchStatement">
         <description>
             <![CDATA[
-				Swith are designed complex branches, and allow branches to share treatement. Using a switch for only a few 
+				Switch are designed complex branches, and allow branches to share treatement. Using a switch for only a few 
 				branches is ill advised, as switches are not as easy to understand as if. In this case, it's most likely
 				is a good idea to use a if statement instead, at least to increase code readability.
             ]]>
@@ -1706,9 +1706,8 @@ public class Foo {
       		externalInfoUrl="http://pmd.sourceforge.net/rules/java/controversial.html#TooManyHttpFilter">
 		<description>
 			<![CDATA[
-The Http Filter are generally used to create session for the Object Relation Mapping tools and for security purpose or logging. Too many of them may
-lead to a complex architecture where everything is by "intercepting" the http request (pretty like aspect programming object). It can be elegant but
-far too complex.
+The Http filters are generally used to create sessions for object-relational mapping tools or for security/logging considerations. Too many of them may
+lead to a complex architecture where everything is "intercepted" the http request (akin to aspect-oriented programming). It can be elegant but far too complex.
 			]]>
 		</description>
 		<priority>4</priority>
diff --git a/pmd/rulesets/java/strictexception.xml b/pmd/rulesets/java/strictexception.xml
index 1fc3c04a9e..03a6ff9be1 100644
--- a/pmd/rulesets/java/strictexception.xml
+++ b/pmd/rulesets/java/strictexception.xml
@@ -257,8 +257,7 @@ public class Foo {
 		    externalInfoUrl="http://pmd.sourceforge.net/rules/java/strictexception.html#DoNotThrowExceptionInFinally">
     	<description>
 			<![CDATA[
-			      Throwing exception in a finally block is confusing. It may mask exception or a defect of the code,
-			      it also render code cleanup uninstable.
+Throwing exception within a 'finally block' is confusing as it may mask exceptions or code defects.
 			Note: This is a PMD implementation of the Lint4j rule "A throw in a finally block"
 			]]>
 		</description>
diff --git a/pmd/rulesets/java/strings.xml b/pmd/rulesets/java/strings.xml
index e08709d49a..903b0cfd73 100644
--- a/pmd/rulesets/java/strings.xml
+++ b/pmd/rulesets/java/strings.xml
@@ -375,7 +375,7 @@ class Foo {
         	externalInfoUrl="http://pmd.sourceforge.net/rules/java/strings.html#AvoidStringBufferField">
     <description>
 		<![CDATA[
-			StringBuffers can grow quite a lot, and so may become a source of memory leak (if the owning class has a long life time).
+StringBuffers can grow quite a lot, and so may become a source of memory leak (if the owning class has a long life time).
 		]]>
     </description>
     <priority>3</priority>
diff --git a/pmd/rulesets/jsp/basic-jsf.xml b/pmd/rulesets/jsp/basic-jsf.xml
index 3d30c51f08..4f1a6a3b34 100644
--- a/pmd/rulesets/jsp/basic-jsf.xml
+++ b/pmd/rulesets/jsp/basic-jsf.xml
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ Rules concerning basic JSF guidelines.
        class="net.sourceforge.pmd.lang.rule.XPathRule"
        externalInfoUrl="http://pmd.sourceforge.net/rules/basic-jsf.html#DontNestJsfInJstlIteration">
      <description>
-   Do not nest JSF component custom actions inside a custom action that iterates over its body.
+Do not nest JSF component custom actions inside a custom action that iterates over its body.
      </description>
      <priority>3</priority>
        <properties>
diff --git a/pmd/rulesets/jsp/basic.xml b/pmd/rulesets/jsp/basic.xml
index dcc6c697b4..107fbc9c8e 100644
--- a/pmd/rulesets/jsp/basic.xml
+++ b/pmd/rulesets/jsp/basic.xml
@@ -13,8 +13,7 @@
 		class="net.sourceforge.pmd.lang.rule.XPathRule"
 		externalInfoUrl="http://pmd.sourceforge.net/rules/basic-jsp.html#NoLongScripts">
 		<description>
-			Scripts should be part of Tag Libraries, rather than part of
-			JSP pages.
+Scripts should be part of Tag Libraries, rather than part of JSP pages.
 		</description>
 		<priority>2</priority>
 		<properties>
@@ -58,8 +57,7 @@ onload=calcDays;
 		class="net.sourceforge.pmd.lang.rule.XPathRule"
 		externalInfoUrl="http://pmd.sourceforge.net/rules/basic-jsp.html#NoScriptlets">
 		<description>
-			Scriptlets should be factored into Tag Libraries or JSP
-			declarations, rather than being part of JSP pages.
+Scriptlets should be factored into Tag Libraries or JSP	declarations, rather than being part of JSP pages.
 		</description>
 		<priority>3</priority>
 		<properties>
@@ -93,8 +91,8 @@ response.setHeader("Pragma", "No-cache");
 		message="Avoid having style information in JSP files."
 		class="net.sourceforge.pmd.lang.jsp.rule.basic.NoInlineStyleInformationRule"
 		externalInfoUrl="http://pmd.sourceforge.net/rules/basic-jsp.html#NoInlineStyleInformation">
-		<description><![CDATA[ Style information should be put in CSS files, not in JSPs.
-			Therefore, don't use <B> or <FONT> tags, or attributes like "align='center'". ]]>
+		<description><![CDATA[ 
+Style information should be put in CSS files, not in JSPs. Therefore, don't use <B> or <FONT> tags, or attributes like "align='center'". ]]>
 		</description>
 		<priority>3</priority>
 		<example>
@@ -110,8 +108,7 @@ response.setHeader("Pragma", "No-cache");
 		class="net.sourceforge.pmd.lang.rule.XPathRule"
 		externalInfoUrl="http://pmd.sourceforge.net/rules/basic-jsp.html#NoClassAttribute">
 		<description>
-			Do not use an attribute called 'class'. Use "styleclass" for
-			CSS styles.
+Do not use an attribute called 'class'. Use "styleclass" for CSS styles.
 		</description>
 		<priority>2</priority>
 		<properties>
@@ -135,7 +132,7 @@ response.setHeader("Pragma", "No-cache");
 		class="net.sourceforge.pmd.lang.rule.XPathRule"
 		externalInfoUrl="http://pmd.sourceforge.net/rules/basic-jsp.html#NoJspForward">
 		<description>
-			Do not do a forward from within a JSP file.
+Do not do a forward from within a JSP file.
 		</description>
 		<priority>3</priority>
 		<properties>
@@ -157,10 +154,8 @@ response.setHeader("Pragma", "No-cache");
 		class="net.sourceforge.pmd.lang.rule.XPathRule"
 		externalInfoUrl="http://pmd.sourceforge.net/rules/basic-jsp.html#IframeMissingSrcAttribute">
 		<description>
-			IFrames which are missing a src element can cause security
-			information popups in IE if you are accessing the page
-			through SSL. See
-			http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;Q261188
+IFrames which are missing a src element can cause security information popups in IE if you are accessing the page
+through SSL. See http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;Q261188
 		</description>
 		<priority>2</priority>
 		<properties>