diff --git a/dvc/command/destroy.py b/dvc/command/destroy.py
index ca739de4ae..3dc2513875 100644
--- a/dvc/command/destroy.py
+++ b/dvc/command/destroy.py
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ def run(self):
             if not self.args.force and not prompt.confirm(statement):
                 raise DvcException(
                     "cannot destroy without a confirmation from the user."
-                    " Use '-f' to force."
+                    " Use `-f` to force."
                 )
 
             self.repo.destroy()
diff --git a/dvc/command/imp_url.py b/dvc/command/imp_url.py
index 012ea80c0e..1b0b1cf87c 100644
--- a/dvc/command/imp_url.py
+++ b/dvc/command/imp_url.py
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ def run(self):
         except DvcException:
             logger.exception(
                 "failed to import {}. You could also try downloading "
-                "it manually and adding it with `dvc add` command.".format(
+                "it manually, and adding it with `dvc add`.".format(
                     self.args.url
                 )
             )
diff --git a/dvc/command/init.py b/dvc/command/init.py
index 0e9bdf83f8..075e3be4c0 100644
--- a/dvc/command/init.py
+++ b/dvc/command/init.py
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ def add_parser(subparsers, parent_parser):
         action="store_true",
         default=False,
         help=(
-            "Overwrite existing '.dvc' directory. "
+            "Overwrite existing '.dvc/' directory. "
             "This operation removes local cache."
         ),
     )
diff --git a/dvc/command/remove.py b/dvc/command/remove.py
index 814adcfae3..a004480290 100644
--- a/dvc/command/remove.py
+++ b/dvc/command/remove.py
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ def _is_outs_only(self, target):
 
         raise DvcException(
             "Cannot purge without a confirmation from the user."
-            " Use '-f' to force."
+            " Use `-f` to force."
         )
 
     def run(self):
diff --git a/dvc/command/run.py b/dvc/command/run.py
index b0761435f3..c51f10baba 100644
--- a/dvc/command/run.py
+++ b/dvc/command/run.py
@@ -27,9 +27,9 @@ def run(self):
             ]
         ):  # pragma: no cover
             logger.error(
-                "too few arguments. Specify at least one: '-d', '-o', '-O',"
-                " '-m', '-M', '--outs-persist', '--outs-persist-no-cache',"
-                " 'command'."
+                "too few arguments. Specify at least one: `-d`, `-o`, `-O`, "
+                "`-m`, `-M`, `--outs-persist`, `--outs-persist-no-cache`, "
+                "`command`."
             )
             return 1
 
diff --git a/dvc/exceptions.py b/dvc/exceptions.py
index 2309bcdbf8..16b8b837b3 100644
--- a/dvc/exceptions.py
+++ b/dvc/exceptions.py
@@ -179,7 +179,7 @@ class ConfirmRemoveError(DvcException):
     def __init__(self, path):
         super(ConfirmRemoveError, self).__init__(
             "unable to remove '{}' without a confirmation from the user. Use "
-            "'-f' to force.".format(path)
+            "`-f` to force.".format(path)
         )
 
 
@@ -209,7 +209,7 @@ class NoMetricsError(DvcException):
     def __init__(self):
         super(NoMetricsError, self).__init__(
             "no metric files in this repository. "
-            "Use 'dvc metrics add' to add a metric file to track."
+            "Use `dvc metrics add` to add a metric file to track."
         )
 
 
@@ -247,7 +247,7 @@ def __init__(self, out_1, out_2):
 class CheckoutErrorSuggestGit(DvcException):
     def __init__(self, target, cause):
         super(CheckoutErrorSuggestGit, self).__init__(
-            "Did you mean 'git checkout {}'?".format(target), cause=cause
+            "Did you mean `git checkout {}`?".format(target), cause=cause
         )
 
 
diff --git a/dvc/remote/slow_link_detection.py b/dvc/remote/slow_link_detection.py
index 0dd2285d60..bffa6e9e8a 100644
--- a/dvc/remote/slow_link_detection.py
+++ b/dvc/remote/slow_link_detection.py
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@
     "See {blue}https://dvc.org/doc/commands-reference/config#cache{reset} "
     "for more information.\n"
     "To disable this message, run:\n"
-    "'dvc config cache.slow_link_warning false'".format(
+    "`dvc config cache.slow_link_warning false`".format(
         blue=colorama.Fore.BLUE, reset=colorama.Fore.RESET
     )
 )
diff --git a/dvc/repo/init.py b/dvc/repo/init.py
index 19dc20d1bf..e2f6b4702a 100644
--- a/dvc/repo/init.py
+++ b/dvc/repo/init.py
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ def init(root_dir=os.curdir, no_scm=False, force=False):
     if isinstance(scm, NoSCM) and not no_scm:
         raise InitError(
             "{repo} is not tracked by any supported scm tool (e.g. git). "
-            "Use '--no-scm' if you don't want to use any scm.".format(
+            "Use `--no-scm` if you don't want to use any scm.".format(
                 repo=root_dir
             )
         )
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ def init(root_dir=os.curdir, no_scm=False, force=False):
     if os.path.isdir(dvc_dir):
         if not force:
             raise InitError(
-                "'{repo}' exists. Use '-f' to force.".format(
+                "'{repo}' exists. Use `-f` to force.".format(
                     repo=relpath(dvc_dir)
                 )
             )
diff --git a/dvc/scm/git/__init__.py b/dvc/scm/git/__init__.py
index 05bb2faf10..fd4e7ad10f 100644
--- a/dvc/scm/git/__init__.py
+++ b/dvc/scm/git/__init__.py
@@ -200,10 +200,10 @@ def add(self, paths):
             self.repo.index.add(paths)
         except AssertionError:
             msg = (
-                "failed to add '{}' to git. You can add those files"
-                " manually using 'git add'."
-                " See 'https://github.com/iterative/dvc/issues/610'"
-                " for more details.".format(str(paths))
+                "failed to add '{}' to git. You can add those files "
+                "manually using `git add`. See "
+                "https://github.com/iterative/dvc/issues/610 for more "
+                "details.".format(str(paths))
             )
 
             logger.exception(msg)
diff --git a/dvc/stage.py b/dvc/stage.py
index 4d3b7d3d0e..94ec95c210 100644
--- a/dvc/stage.py
+++ b/dvc/stage.py
@@ -242,7 +242,7 @@ def _changed_deps(self):
 
         if self.is_callback:
             logger.warning(
-                "DVC-file '{fname}' is a 'callback' stage "
+                "DVC-file '{fname}' is a \"callback\" stage "
                 "(has a command and no dependencies) and thus always "
                 "considered as changed.".format(fname=self.relpath)
             )
@@ -451,8 +451,8 @@ def create(repo, **kwargs):
             if fname is not None and os.path.basename(fname) != fname:
                 raise StageFileBadNameError(
                     "DVC-file name '{fname}' may not contain subdirectories"
-                    " if '-c|--cwd' (deprecated) is specified. Use '-w|--wdir'"
-                    " along with '-f' to specify DVC-file path with working"
+                    " if `-c|--cwd` (deprecated) is specified. Use `-w|--wdir`"
+                    " along with `-f` to specify DVC-file path with working"
                     " directory.".format(fname=fname)
                 )
             wdir = cwd
@@ -571,8 +571,8 @@ def _fill_stage_outputs(stage, **kwargs):
     def _check_dvc_filename(fname):
         if not Stage.is_valid_filename(fname):
             raise StageFileBadNameError(
-                "bad DVC-file name '{}'. DVC-files should be named"
-                " 'Dvcfile' or have a '.dvc' suffix (e.g. '{}.dvc').".format(
+                "bad DVC-file name '{}'. DVC-files should be named "
+                "'Dvcfile' or have a '.dvc' suffix (e.g. '{}.dvc').".format(
                     relpath(fname), os.path.basename(fname)
                 )
             )
@@ -736,7 +736,7 @@ def check_can_commit(self, force):
             if not force and not prompt.confirm(msg):
                 raise StageCommitError(
                     "unable to commit changed '{}'. Use `-f|--force` to "
-                    "force.`".format(self.relpath)
+                    "force.".format(self.relpath)
                 )
             self.save()
 
diff --git a/dvc/utils/__init__.py b/dvc/utils/__init__.py
index 538b7a97e1..b0cb6b3fff 100644
--- a/dvc/utils/__init__.py
+++ b/dvc/utils/__init__.py
@@ -232,7 +232,7 @@ def _to_chunks_by_chunks_number(list_to_split, num_chunks):
 def to_chunks(list_to_split, num_chunks=None, chunk_size=None):
     if (num_chunks and chunk_size) or (not num_chunks and not chunk_size):
         raise ValueError(
-            "One and only one of 'num_chunks', 'chunk_size' must be defined"
+            "Only one among `num_chunks` or `chunk_size` must be defined."
         )
     if chunk_size:
         return _split(list_to_split, chunk_size)
diff --git a/tests/unit/command/test_imp_url.py b/tests/unit/command/test_imp_url.py
index 3ec0efbaac..50cb6e5bd5 100644
--- a/tests/unit/command/test_imp_url.py
+++ b/tests/unit/command/test_imp_url.py
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ def test_failed_import_url(mocker, caplog, dvc_repo):
             assert cmd.run() == 1
             expected_error = (
                 "failed to import http://somesite.com/file_name. "
-                "You could also try downloading it manually and "
-                "adding it with `dvc add` command."
+                "You could also try downloading it manually, and "
+                "adding it with `dvc add`."
             )
             assert expected_error in caplog.text