diff --git a/src/cmd/compile/internal/gc/swt.go b/src/cmd/compile/internal/gc/swt.go
index 2970993056..0d5df2e0bd 100644
--- a/src/cmd/compile/internal/gc/swt.go
+++ b/src/cmd/compile/internal/gc/swt.go
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ func typecheckTypeSwitch(n *Node) {
 	// declaration itself. So if there are no cases, we won't
 	// notice that it went unused.
 	if v := n.Left.Left; v != nil && !v.isBlank() && n.List.Len() == 0 {
-		yyerrorl(v.Pos, "%v declared and not used", v.Sym)
+		yyerrorl(v.Pos, "%v declared but not used", v.Sym)
 	}
 
 	var defCase, nilCase *Node
diff --git a/src/cmd/compile/internal/gc/walk.go b/src/cmd/compile/internal/gc/walk.go
index 7d9f0cbd58..0e780bad6c 100644
--- a/src/cmd/compile/internal/gc/walk.go
+++ b/src/cmd/compile/internal/gc/walk.go
@@ -50,10 +50,10 @@ func walk(fn *Node) {
 			if defn.Left.Name.Used() {
 				continue
 			}
-			yyerrorl(defn.Left.Pos, "%v declared and not used", ln.Sym)
+			yyerrorl(defn.Left.Pos, "%v declared but not used", ln.Sym)
 			defn.Left.Name.SetUsed(true) // suppress repeats
 		} else {
-			yyerrorl(ln.Pos, "%v declared and not used", ln.Sym)
+			yyerrorl(ln.Pos, "%v declared but not used", ln.Sym)
 		}
 	}
 
diff --git a/test/fixedbugs/bug373.go b/test/fixedbugs/bug373.go
index aa0f5d1efa..6b7a312097 100644
--- a/test/fixedbugs/bug373.go
+++ b/test/fixedbugs/bug373.go
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
 package foo
 
 func f(x interface{}) {
-	switch t := x.(type) {  // ERROR "declared and not used"
+	switch t := x.(type) {  // ERROR "declared but not used"
 	case int:
 	}
 }
diff --git a/test/fixedbugs/issue21317.go b/test/fixedbugs/issue21317.go
index 530694af12..ee1bbf810b 100644
--- a/test/fixedbugs/issue21317.go
+++ b/test/fixedbugs/issue21317.go
@@ -48,8 +48,8 @@ func main() {
 		log.Fatalf("expected cmd/compile to fail")
 	}
 	wantErrs := []string{
-		"7:9: n declared and not used",
-		"7:12: err declared and not used",
+		"7:9: n declared but not used",
+		"7:12: err declared but not used",
 	}
 	outStr := string(out)
 	for _, want := range wantErrs {
diff --git a/test/fixedbugs/issue23116.go b/test/fixedbugs/issue23116.go
index 1737fee2c8..b4b36d4ba9 100644
--- a/test/fixedbugs/issue23116.go
+++ b/test/fixedbugs/issue23116.go
@@ -10,6 +10,6 @@ func f(x interface{}) {
 	switch x.(type) {
 	}
 
-	switch t := x.(type) { // ERROR "declared and not used"
+	switch t := x.(type) { // ERROR "declared but not used"
 	}
 }
diff --git a/test/fixedbugs/issue29870b.go b/test/fixedbugs/issue29870b.go
index 1bac566bbb..2d5f638530 100644
--- a/test/fixedbugs/issue29870b.go
+++ b/test/fixedbugs/issue29870b.go
@@ -10,5 +10,5 @@
 package main
 
 func _() {
-	x := 7 // ERROR "x declared and not used"
+	x := 7 // ERROR "x declared but not used"
 }
diff --git a/test/typeswitch2b.go b/test/typeswitch2b.go
index 135ae86cff..6da0d5fa6e 100644
--- a/test/typeswitch2b.go
+++ b/test/typeswitch2b.go
@@ -11,9 +11,9 @@ package main
 
 func notused(x interface{}) {
 	// The first t is in a different scope than the 2nd t; it cannot
-	// be accessed (=> declared and not used error); but it is legal
+	// be accessed (=> declared but not used error); but it is legal
 	// to declare it.
-	switch t := 0; t := x.(type) { // ERROR "declared and not used"
+	switch t := 0; t := x.(type) { // ERROR "declared but not used"
 	case int:
 		_ = t // this is using the t of "t := x.(type)"
 	}