diff --git a/src/combinatorics/composition.lean b/src/combinatorics/composition.lean
index 1741afc367f99..d7dcb7f1871a3 100644
--- a/src/combinatorics/composition.lean
+++ b/src/combinatorics/composition.lean
@@ -207,8 +207,7 @@ a virtual point at the right of the last block, to make for a nice equiv with
 `composition_as_set n`. -/
 def boundary : fin (c.length + 1) ↪o fin (n+1) :=
 order_embedding.of_strict_mono (λ i, ⟨c.size_up_to i, nat.lt_succ_of_le (c.size_up_to_le i)⟩) $
- fin.strict_mono_iff_lt_succ.2 $ λ i hi, c.size_up_to_strict_mono $
-   lt_of_add_lt_add_right hi
+ fin.strict_mono_iff_lt_succ.2 $ λ ⟨i, hi⟩, c.size_up_to_strict_mono hi
 
 @[simp] lemma boundary_zero : c.boundary 0 = 0 :=
 by simp [boundary, fin.ext_iff]
diff --git a/src/data/fin/basic.lean b/src/data/fin/basic.lean
index 0da0b0d886d3a..8f97ed4672a9f 100644
--- a/src/data/fin/basic.lean
+++ b/src/data/fin/basic.lean
@@ -318,23 +318,6 @@ rel_embedding.ext $ funext_iff.1 $ strict_mono_unique f.strict_mono g.strict_mon
 
 end
 
-/-- A function `f` on `fin n` is strictly monotone if and only if `f i < f (i+1)` for all `i`. -/
-lemma strict_mono_iff_lt_succ {α : Type*} [preorder α] {f : fin n → α} :
-  strict_mono f ↔ ∀ i (h : i + 1 < n), f ⟨i, lt_of_le_of_lt (nat.le_succ i) h⟩ < f ⟨i+1, h⟩ :=
-begin
-  split,
-  { assume H i hi,
-    apply H,
-    exact nat.lt_succ_self _ },
-  { assume H,
-    have A : ∀ i j (h : i < j) (h' : j < n), f ⟨i, lt_trans h h'⟩ < f ⟨j, h'⟩,
-    { assume i j h h',
-      induction h with k h IH,
-      { exact H _ _ },
-      { exact lt_trans (IH (nat.lt_of_succ_lt h')) (H _ _) } },
-    assume i j hij,
-    convert A (i : ℕ) (j : ℕ) hij j.2; ext; simp only [subtype.coe_eta] }
-end
 
 end order
 
@@ -1152,6 +1135,42 @@ end
 
 end rec
 
+lemma lift_fun_iff_succ {α : Type*} (r : α → α → Prop) [is_trans α r] {f : fin (n + 1) → α} :
+  ((<) ⇒ r) f f ↔ ∀ i : fin n, r (f i.cast_succ) (f i.succ) :=
+begin
+  split,
+  { intros H i,
+    exact H i.cast_succ_lt_succ },
+  { refine λ H i, fin.induction _ _,
+    { exact λ h, (h.not_le (zero_le i)).elim },
+    { intros j ihj hij,
+      rw [← le_cast_succ_iff] at hij,
+      rcases hij.eq_or_lt with rfl|hlt,
+      exacts [H j, trans (ihj hlt) (H j)] } }
+end
+
+/-- A function `f` on `fin (n + 1)` is strictly monotone if and only if `f i < f (i + 1)`
+for all `i`. -/
+lemma strict_mono_iff_lt_succ {α : Type*} [preorder α] {f : fin (n + 1) → α} :
+  strict_mono f ↔ ∀ i : fin n, f i.cast_succ < f i.succ :=
+lift_fun_iff_succ (<)
+
+/-- A function `f` on `fin (n + 1)` is monotone if and only if `f i ≤ f (i + 1)` for all `i`. -/
+lemma monotone_iff_le_succ {α : Type*} [preorder α] {f : fin (n + 1) → α} :
+  monotone f ↔ ∀ i : fin n, f i.cast_succ ≤ f i.succ :=
+monotone_iff_forall_lt.trans $ lift_fun_iff_succ (≤)
+
+/-- A function `f` on `fin (n + 1)` is strictly antitone if and only if `f (i + 1) < f i`
+for all `i`. -/
+lemma strict_anti_iff_succ_lt {α : Type*} [preorder α] {f : fin (n + 1) → α} :
+  strict_anti f ↔ ∀ i : fin n, f i.succ < f i.cast_succ :=
+lift_fun_iff_succ (>)
+
+/-- A function `f` on `fin (n + 1)` is antitone if and only if `f (i + 1) ≤ f i` for all `i`. -/
+lemma antitone_iff_succ_le {α : Type*} [preorder α] {f : fin (n + 1) → α} :
+  antitone f ↔ ∀ i : fin n, f i.succ ≤ f i.cast_succ :=
+antitone_iff_forall_lt.trans $ lift_fun_iff_succ (≥)
+
 section add_group
 
 open nat int
diff --git a/src/order/jordan_holder.lean b/src/order/jordan_holder.lean
index 69d1ef44e76ac..c6578f9d88bce 100644
--- a/src/order/jordan_holder.lean
+++ b/src/order/jordan_holder.lean
@@ -163,7 +163,7 @@ theorem lt_succ (s : composition_series X) (i : fin s.length) :
 lt_of_is_maximal (s.step _)
 
 protected theorem strict_mono (s : composition_series X) : strict_mono s :=
-fin.strict_mono_iff_lt_succ.2 (λ i h, s.lt_succ ⟨i, nat.lt_of_succ_lt_succ h⟩)
+fin.strict_mono_iff_lt_succ.2 s.lt_succ
 
 protected theorem injective (s : composition_series X) : function.injective s :=
 s.strict_mono.injective