diff --git a/command/ca/bootstrap.go b/command/ca/bootstrap.go
index 8fc9e429..7991b432 100644
--- a/command/ca/bootstrap.go
+++ b/command/ca/bootstrap.go
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ func bootstrapCommand() cli.Command {
 	return cli.Command{
 		Name:      "bootstrap",
 		Action:    command.ActionFunc(bootstrapAction),
-		Usage:     "initializes the environment to use the CA commands",
+		Usage:     "initialize the environment to use the CA commands",
 		UsageText: "**step ca bootstrap** [**--ca-url**=<uri>] [**--fingerprint**=<fingerprint>]",
 		Description: `**step ca bootstrap** downloads the root certificate from the certificate
 authority and sets up the current environment to use it.
diff --git a/command/ca/certificate.go b/command/ca/certificate.go
index f08c8c75..fbd4dc93 100644
--- a/command/ca/certificate.go
+++ b/command/ca/certificate.go
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ func newCertificateCommand() cli.Command {
 	return cli.Command{
 		Name:   "certificate",
 		Action: command.ActionFunc(newCertificateAction),
-		Usage:  "generates a new certificate pair signed by the root certificate",
+		Usage:  "generate a new certificate pair signed by the root certificate",
 		UsageText: `**step ca certificate** <hostname> <crt-file> <key-file>
 		[**--token**=<token>] [**--ca-url**=<uri>] [**--root**=<file>]
 		[**--not-before**=<time|duration>] [**--not-after**=<time|duration>]`,
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ func signCertificateCommand() cli.Command {
 	return cli.Command{
 		Name:   "sign",
 		Action: command.ActionFunc(signCertificateAction),
-		Usage:  "generates a new certificate signing a certificate request",
+		Usage:  "generate a new certificate signing a certificate request",
 		UsageText: `**step ca sign** <csr-file> <crt-file>
 		[**--token**=<token>] [**--ca-url**=<uri>] [**--root**=<file>]
 		[**--not-before**=<time|duration>] [**--not-after**=<time|duration>]`,
diff --git a/command/ca/init.go b/command/ca/init.go
index a40263dc..9fa565d5 100644
--- a/command/ca/init.go
+++ b/command/ca/init.go
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ func initCommand() cli.Command {
 	return cli.Command{
 		Name:   "init",
 		Action: cli.ActionFunc(initAction),
-		Usage:  "initializes the CA PKI",
+		Usage:  "initialize the CA PKI",
 		UsageText: `**step ca init**
 		[**--root**=<file>] [**--key**=<file>] [**--pki**]`,
 		Description: `**step ca init** command initializes a public key infrastructure (PKI) to be
diff --git a/command/ca/provisioner/getEncryptedKey.go b/command/ca/provisioner/getEncryptedKey.go
index 7b5af9ad..4b722706 100644
--- a/command/ca/provisioner/getEncryptedKey.go
+++ b/command/ca/provisioner/getEncryptedKey.go
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ func getEncryptedKeyCommand() cli.Command {
 	return cli.Command{
 		Name:   "jwe-key",
 		Action: cli.ActionFunc(getEncryptedKeyAction),
-		Usage:  "retrieves and prints a provisioning key in the CA",
+		Usage:  "retrieve and print a provisioning key in the CA",
 		UsageText: `**step ca provisioner jwe-key** <kid> [**--ca-url**=<uri>]
 [**--root**=<file>]`,
 		Description: `**step ca provisioner jwe-key** returns the encrypted
diff --git a/command/ca/root.go b/command/ca/root.go
index 3fc01ed6..4f5b5828 100644
--- a/command/ca/root.go
+++ b/command/ca/root.go
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ func rootComand() cli.Command {
 	return cli.Command{
 		Name:   "root",
 		Action: command.ActionFunc(rootAction),
-		Usage:  "downloads and validates the root certificate",
+		Usage:  "download and validate the root certificate",
 		UsageText: `**step ca root** <root-file>
 		[**--ca-url**=<uri>] [**--fingerprint**=<fingerprint>]`,
 		Description: `**step ca root** downloads and validates the root certificate from the
diff --git a/command/ca/token.go b/command/ca/token.go
index 62f30fce..a152455e 100644
--- a/command/ca/token.go
+++ b/command/ca/token.go
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ func newTokenCommand() cli.Command {
 	return cli.Command{
 		Name:   "token",
 		Action: command.ActionFunc(newTokenAction),
-		Usage:  "generates an OTT granting access to the CA",
+		Usage:  "generate an OTT granting access to the CA",
 		UsageText: `**step ca token** <hostname>
 		[--**kid**=<kid>] [--**issuer**=<issuer>] [**--ca-url**=<uri>] [**--root**=<file>]
 		[**--not-before**=<time|duration>] [**--not-after**=<time|duration>]
diff --git a/command/certificate/bundle.go b/command/certificate/bundle.go
index 49097d18..fbf01d84 100644
--- a/command/certificate/bundle.go
+++ b/command/certificate/bundle.go
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ func bundleCommand() cli.Command {
 	return cli.Command{
 		Name:      "bundle",
 		Action:    command.ActionFunc(bundleAction),
-		Usage:     `bundle a certificate with intermediate certificate(s) needed for certificate path validation.`,
+		Usage:     `bundle a certificate with intermediate certificate(s) needed for certificate path validation`,
 		UsageText: `**step certificate bundle** <crt_file> <ca> <bundle_file>`,
 		Description: `**step certificate bundle** bundles a certificate
 		with any intermediates necessary to validate the certificate.
diff --git a/command/certificate/certificate.go b/command/certificate/certificate.go
index c853be91..254a2992 100644
--- a/command/certificate/certificate.go
+++ b/command/certificate/certificate.go
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ import (
 func init() {
 	cmd := cli.Command{
 		Name:      "certificate",
-		Usage:     "create, revoke, validate, bundle, and otherwise manage certificates.",
+		Usage:     "create, revoke, validate, bundle, and otherwise manage certificates",
 		UsageText: "step certificate SUBCOMMAND [ARGUMENTS] [GLOBAL_FLAGS] [SUBCOMMAND_FLAGS]",
 		Description: `**step certificate** command group provides facilities for creating
 certificate signing requests (CSRs), creating self-signed certificates
diff --git a/command/certificate/lint.go b/command/certificate/lint.go
index e04c686e..b2c9e4de 100644
--- a/command/certificate/lint.go
+++ b/command/certificate/lint.go
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ func lintCommand() cli.Command {
 	return cli.Command{
 		Name:      "lint",
 		Action:    cli.ActionFunc(lintAction),
-		Usage:     `lint certificate details.`,
+		Usage:     `lint certificate details`,
 		UsageText: `**step certificate lint** <crt_file> [**--roots**=<root-bundle>]`,
 		Description: `**step certificate lint** checks a certificate for common
 errors and outputs the result in JSON format.
diff --git a/command/certificate/sign.go b/command/certificate/sign.go
index 318cc80e..157d8453 100644
--- a/command/certificate/sign.go
+++ b/command/certificate/sign.go
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ func signCommand() cli.Command {
 	return cli.Command{
 		Name:      "sign",
 		Action:    cli.ActionFunc(signAction),
-		Usage:     "sign a certificate signing request (CSR).",
+		Usage:     "sign a certificate signing request (CSR)",
 		UsageText: `**step certificate sign** <csr_file> <crt_file> <key_file>`,
 		Description: `**step certificate sign** generates a signed
 certificate from a certificate signing request (CSR).
diff --git a/command/certificate/verify.go b/command/certificate/verify.go
index 352b5dda..6f0a6161 100644
--- a/command/certificate/verify.go
+++ b/command/certificate/verify.go
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ func verifyCommand() cli.Command {
 	return cli.Command{
 		Name:   "verify",
 		Action: cli.ActionFunc(verifyAction),
-		Usage:  `verify a certificate.`,
+		Usage:  `verify a certificate`,
 		UsageText: `**step certificate verify** <crt_file> [**--host**=<host>]
 		[**--roots**=<root-bundle>]`,
 		Description: `**step certificate verify** executes the certificate path
diff --git a/command/crypto/change-pass.go b/command/crypto/change-pass.go
index 2f37f8e7..f39c22be 100644
--- a/command/crypto/change-pass.go
+++ b/command/crypto/change-pass.go
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ func changePassCommand() cli.Command {
 	return cli.Command{
 		Name:      "change-pass",
 		Action:    command.ActionFunc(changePassAction),
-		Usage:     "Change password of an encrypted private key (PEM or JWK format)",
+		Usage:     "change password of an encrypted private key (PEM or JWK format)",
 		UsageText: `**step crypto change-pass** <key-file> [**--out**=<file>]`,
 		Description: `**step crypto change-pass** extracts the private key from
 a file and encrypts disk using a new password by either overwriting the original
diff --git a/command/crypto/hash/hash.go b/command/crypto/hash/hash.go
index a3190784..b9e8fc70 100644
--- a/command/crypto/hash/hash.go
+++ b/command/crypto/hash/hash.go
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ type hashConstructor func() hash.Hash
 func Command() cli.Command {
 	return cli.Command{
 		Name:      "hash",
-		Usage:     "generates and checks hashes of files and directories",
+		Usage:     "generate and check hashes of files and directories",
 		UsageText: "step crypto hash <subcommand> [arguments] [global-flags] [subcommand-flags]",
 		Description: `**step crypto hash** command group provides facilities for generating and
 checking hashes of files and directories.
diff --git a/command/crypto/key/format.go b/command/crypto/key/format.go
index c172ef16..8634b5c7 100644
--- a/command/crypto/key/format.go
+++ b/command/crypto/key/format.go
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ func formatCommand() cli.Command {
 	return cli.Command{
 		Name:      "format",
 		Action:    command.ActionFunc(formatAction),
-		Usage:     `reformat certificate.`,
+		Usage:     `reformat certificate`,
 		UsageText: `**step crypto key format** <key_file> [**--out**=<path>]`,
 		Description: `**step crypto key format** prints the key in
 a different format.
diff --git a/command/crypto/key/key.go b/command/crypto/key/key.go
index 8953df08..ed129bf2 100644
--- a/command/crypto/key/key.go
+++ b/command/crypto/key/key.go
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ import (
 func Command() cli.Command {
 	return cli.Command{
 		Name:      "key",
-		Usage:     "manage keys.",
+		Usage:     "manage keys",
 		UsageText: "step crypto key SUBCOMMAND [ARGUMENTS] [GLOBAL_FLAGS] [SUBCOMMAND_FLAGS]",
 		Description: `**step crypto key** command group provides facilities for
 managing cryptographic keys.
diff --git a/command/crypto/keypair.go b/command/crypto/keypair.go
index 95f0648a..8dc4ceaf 100644
--- a/command/crypto/keypair.go
+++ b/command/crypto/keypair.go
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ func createKeyPairCommand() cli.Command {
 	return cli.Command{
 		Name:   "keypair",
 		Action: command.ActionFunc(createAction),
-		Usage:  "generate a public / private keypair in PEM format.",
+		Usage:  "generate a public / private keypair in PEM format",
 		UsageText: `**step crypto keypair** <pub_file> <priv_file>
 [**--curve**=<curve>] [**--no-password**] [**--size**=<size>]
 [**--kty**=<key-type>]`,
diff --git a/command/crypto/nacl/auth.go b/command/crypto/nacl/auth.go
index 667293dd..f8374e4d 100644
--- a/command/crypto/nacl/auth.go
+++ b/command/crypto/nacl/auth.go
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ import (
 func authCommand() cli.Command {
 	return cli.Command{
 		Name:      "auth",
-		Usage:     "authenticates a message using a secret key",
+		Usage:     "authenticate a message using a secret key",
 		UsageText: "step crypto nacl auth <subcommand> [arguments] [global-flags] [subcommand-flags]",
 		Description: `**step crypto nacl auth** command group uses secret key cryptography to
 authenticate and verify messages using a secret key. The implementation is based on NaCl's
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ func authDigestCommand() cli.Command {
 	return cli.Command{
 		Name:      "digest",
 		Action:    cli.ActionFunc(authDigestAction),
-		Usage:     "generates a 32-byte digest for a message",
+		Usage:     "generate a 32-byte digest for a message",
 		UsageText: "**step crypto nacl auth digest** <key-file>",
 		Description: `**step crypto nacl auth digest** creates a digest to authenticate the message
 is read from STDIN using the given secret key.
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ func authVerifyCommand() cli.Command {
 	return cli.Command{
 		Name:      "verify",
 		Action:    cli.ActionFunc(authVerifyAction),
-		Usage:     "checks digest is a valid for a message",
+		Usage:     "validate a digest for a message",
 		UsageText: "**step crypto nacl auth verify** <key-file> <digest>",
 		Description: `**step crypto nacl auth verify** checks that the digest is a valid authenticator
 of the message is read from STDIN under the given secret key file.
diff --git a/command/crypto/nacl/secretbox.go b/command/crypto/nacl/secretbox.go
index e19ab3e8..24fb4790 100644
--- a/command/crypto/nacl/secretbox.go
+++ b/command/crypto/nacl/secretbox.go
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ import (
 func secretboxCommand() cli.Command {
 	return cli.Command{
 		Name:      "secretbox",
-		Usage:     "encrypts and authenticates small messages using secret-key cryptography",
+		Usage:     "encrypt and authenticate small messages using secret-key cryptography",
 		UsageText: "step crypto nacl secretbox <subcommand> [arguments] [global-flags] [subcommand-flags]",
 		Description: `**step crypto nacl secretbox** command group uses secret-key cryptography to
 encrypt, decrypt and authenticate messages. The implementation is based on NaCl's
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ func secretboxOpenCommand() cli.Command {
 	return cli.Command{
 		Name:   "open",
 		Action: cli.ActionFunc(secretboxOpenAction),
-		Usage:  "authenticates and decrypts a box produced by seal",
+		Usage:  "authenticate and decrypt a box produced by seal",
 		UsageText: `**step crypto nacl secretbox open** <nonce> <key-file>
 		[--raw]`,
 		Description: `**step crypto nacl secretbox open** verifies and decrypts a ciphertext using a
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ func secretboxSealCommand() cli.Command {
 	return cli.Command{
 		Name:   "seal",
 		Action: cli.ActionFunc(secretboxSealAction),
-		Usage:  "produces an encrypted ciphertext",
+		Usage:  "produce an encrypted ciphertext",
 		UsageText: `**step crypto nacl secretbox seal** <nonce> <key-file>
 		[--raw]`,
 		Description: `**step crypto nacl secretbox seal** encrypts and authenticates a message using
diff --git a/command/crypto/nacl/sign.go b/command/crypto/nacl/sign.go
index df340993..a130e862 100644
--- a/command/crypto/nacl/sign.go
+++ b/command/crypto/nacl/sign.go
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ import (
 func signCommand() cli.Command {
 	return cli.Command{
 		Name:      "sign",
-		Usage:     "signs small messages using public-key cryptography",
+		Usage:     "sign small messages using public-key cryptography",
 		UsageText: "step crypto nacl sign <subcommand> [arguments] [global-flags] [subcommand-flags]",
 		Description: `**step crypto nacl sign** command group uses public-key cryptography to sign and
 verify messages. The implementation is based on NaCl's crypto_sign function.
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ func signKeypairCommand() cli.Command {
 	return cli.Command{
 		Name:      "keypair",
 		Action:    command.ActionFunc(signKeypairAction),
-		Usage:     "generates a pair for use with sign and open",
+		Usage:     "generate a pair for use with sign and open",
 		UsageText: "**step crypto nacl sign keypair** <pub-file> <priv-file>",
 		Description: `**step crypto nacl sign keypair** generates a secret key and a corresponding
 public key valid for verifying and signing messages.
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ func signOpenCommand() cli.Command {
 	return cli.Command{
 		Name:      "open",
 		Action:    cli.ActionFunc(signOpenAction),
-		Usage:     "verifies a signed message produced by sign",
+		Usage:     "verify a signed message produced by sign",
 		UsageText: "**step crypto nacl sign open** <pub-file>",
 		Description: `**step crypto nacl sign open** verifies the signature of a message using the
 signer's public key.
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ func signSignCommand() cli.Command {
 	return cli.Command{
 		Name:      "sign",
 		Action:    cli.ActionFunc(signSignAction),
-		Usage:     "signs a message using Ed25519",
+		Usage:     "sign a message using Ed25519",
 		UsageText: "**step crypto nacl sign sign** <priv-file>",
 		Description: `**step crypto nacl sign sign** signs a message m using the signer's private
 key.
diff --git a/command/crypto/otp/generate.go b/command/crypto/otp/generate.go
index 561ed64e..25d5bc71 100644
--- a/command/crypto/otp/generate.go
+++ b/command/crypto/otp/generate.go
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ func generateCommand() cli.Command {
 	return cli.Command{
 		Name:        "generate",
 		Action:      command.ActionFunc(generateAction),
-		Usage:       "one-time password",
+		Usage:       "generate a one-time password",
 		UsageText:   `**step crypto otp generate**`,
 		Description: `**step crypto otp generate** does TOTP and HTOP`,
 		Flags: []cli.Flag{
diff --git a/command/crypto/otp/verify.go b/command/crypto/otp/verify.go
index 1bc7dd94..a53f9688 100644
--- a/command/crypto/otp/verify.go
+++ b/command/crypto/otp/verify.go
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ func verifyCommand() cli.Command {
 	return cli.Command{
 		Name:        "verify",
 		Action:      cli.ActionFunc(verifyAction),
-		Usage:       "one-time password",
+		Usage:       "verify a one-time password",
 		UsageText:   `**step crypto otp verify**`,
 		Description: `**step crypto otp verify** does TOTP and HTOP`,
 		Flags: []cli.Flag{
diff --git a/command/version/version.go b/command/version/version.go
index ccea3897..98214b91 100644
--- a/command/version/version.go
+++ b/command/version/version.go
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ import (
 func init() {
 	cmd := cli.Command{
 		Name:   "version",
-		Usage:  "Displays the current version of the cli",
+		Usage:  "display the current version of the cli",
 		Action: Command,
 	}
 
diff --git a/usage/help.go b/usage/help.go
index 9b49fc62..4ded437f 100644
--- a/usage/help.go
+++ b/usage/help.go
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ func HelpCommand() cli.Command {
 	return cli.Command{
 		Name:      "help",
 		Aliases:   []string{"h"},
-		Usage:     "displays help for the specified command or command group",
+		Usage:     "display help for the specified command or command group",
 		ArgsUsage: "[command]",
 		Action:    HelpCommandAction,
 		Flags: []cli.Flag{