diff --git a/docs/middleware.txt b/docs/middleware.txt
index 39019caf1e..f2cf18dbdf 100644
--- a/docs/middleware.txt
+++ b/docs/middleware.txt
@@ -61,17 +61,18 @@ Adds a few conveniences for perfectionists:
   settings.
 
   If ``APPEND_SLASH`` is ``True`` and the initial URL doesn't end with a slash,
-  and it is not found in urlpatterns, a new URL is formed by appending a slash
-  at the end. If this new URL is found in urlpatterns, then an HTTP-redirect is
-  returned to this new URL; otherwise the initial URL is processed as usual.
+  and it is not found in the URLconf, then a new URL is formed by appending a
+  slash at the end. If this new URL is found in the URLconf, then Django
+  redirects the request to this new URL. Otherwise, the initial URL is
+  processed as usual.
 
-  So ``foo.com/bar`` will be redirected to ``foo.com/bar/`` if you do not
-  have a valid urlpattern for ``foo.com/bar``, and do have a valid urlpattern
-  for ``foo.com/bar/``.
+  For example, ``foo.com/bar`` will be redirected to ``foo.com/bar/`` if you
+  don't have a valid URL pattern for ``foo.com/bar`` but *do* have a valid
+  pattern for ``foo.com/bar/``.
 
   **New in Django development version:** The behavior of ``APPEND_SLASH`` has
-  changed slightly in the development version. It didn't used to check to see
-  whether the pattern was matched in the URLconf.
+  changed slightly in the development version. It didn't used to check whether
+  the pattern was matched in the URLconf.
 
   If ``PREPEND_WWW`` is ``True``, URLs that lack a leading "www." will be
   redirected to the same URL with a leading "www."