diff --git a/applications/utilities/postProcessing/dataConversion/foamToEnsight/foamToEnsight.C b/applications/utilities/postProcessing/dataConversion/foamToEnsight/foamToEnsight.C
index 1eb31e4130e5484e25c8f23a37c40a87e8e3e6bf..4a2d3292410057021437242fe0d3ae1ca1ab3823 100644
--- a/applications/utilities/postProcessing/dataConversion/foamToEnsight/foamToEnsight.C
+++ b/applications/utilities/postProcessing/dataConversion/foamToEnsight/foamToEnsight.C
@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@ Usage
         \endverbatim
 
       - \par -excludePatches NAME | LIST
-        Specify single or multiple patches (name or regex) not to convert.
+        Exclude single or multiple patches (name or regex) from writing.
         For example,
         \verbatim
           -excludePatches '( inlet_1 inlet_2 "proc.*" )'
@@ -237,7 +237,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
     argList::addBoolOption
     (
         "no-point-data",
-        "Suppress conversion of pointFields and disables -nodeValues"
+        "Suppress conversion of pointFields, disable -nodeValues"
     );
     argList::addBoolOption
     (
@@ -265,8 +265,8 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
     (
         "excludePatches",
         "wordRes",
-        "Specify single patch or multiple patches to exclude from writing."
-        " Eg, 'outlet' or '( inlet \".*Wall\" )'"
+        "Exclude single or multiple patches from writing\n"
+        "Eg, 'outlet' or '( inlet \".*Wall\" )'"
         , true  // mark as an advanced option
     );
     argList::addOption
@@ -290,7 +290,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
         "Specify single or multiple cellZones to write\n"
         "Eg, 'cells' or '( slice \"mfp-.*\" )'."
     );
-    argList::addOptionCompat("cellZone", {"cellZones", 1912});
+    argList::addOptionCompat("cellZones", {"cellZone", 1912});
 
 
     #include "setRootCase.H"
diff --git a/applications/utilities/postProcessing/dataConversion/foamToVTK/foamToVTK.C b/applications/utilities/postProcessing/dataConversion/foamToVTK/foamToVTK.C
index 1a5da0773988dfd8ac3d4121f956129e1ea3e26a..101736d53a1511ab68d0e137d01298651d2a2def 100644
--- a/applications/utilities/postProcessing/dataConversion/foamToVTK/foamToVTK.C
+++ b/applications/utilities/postProcessing/dataConversion/foamToVTK/foamToVTK.C
@@ -113,7 +113,7 @@ Usage
         \endverbatim
 
       - \par -excludePatches NAME | LIST
-        Specify single or multiple patches (name or regex) not to convert.
+        Exclude single or multiple patches (name or regex) from writing.
         For example,
         \verbatim
           -excludePatches '( inlet_1 inlet_2 "proc.*")'
@@ -431,8 +431,8 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
     (
         "excludePatches",
         "wordRes",
-        "Specify single patch or multiple patches to exclude from writing."
-        " Eg, 'outlet' or '( inlet \".*Wall\" )'",
+        "Exclude single or multiple patches from writing\n"
+        "Eg, 'outlet' or '( inlet \".*Wall\" )'",
         true  // mark as an advanced option
     );
     argList::ignoreOptionCompat
diff --git a/applications/utilities/surface/surfaceSplitByPatch/surfaceSplitByPatch.C b/applications/utilities/surface/surfaceSplitByPatch/surfaceSplitByPatch.C
index bc35115335f8065f1f8b92fed10b0d8b4252eaa5..3f2d9d79a6290862c6cb217c610ac8493b8e22c2 100644
--- a/applications/utilities/surface/surfaceSplitByPatch/surfaceSplitByPatch.C
+++ b/applications/utilities/surface/surfaceSplitByPatch/surfaceSplitByPatch.C
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ Usage
         \endverbatim
 
       - \par -excludePatches NAME | LIST
-        Specify single or multiple patches (name or regex) not to extract.
+        Exclude single or multiple patches (name or regex) from extracting.
         For example,
         \verbatim
           -excludePatches '( inlet_1 inlet_2 "proc.*")'
@@ -74,15 +74,15 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
     (
         "patches",
         "wordRes",
-        "Specify single patch or multiple patches to write\n"
+        "Specify single patch or multiple patches to extract\n"
         "Eg, 'top' or '( front \".*back\" )'"
     );
     argList::addOption
     (
         "excludePatches",
         "wordRes",
-        "Specify single patch or multiple patches to exclude from writing."
-        " Eg, 'outlet' or '( inlet \".*Wall\" )'"
+        "Exclude single or multiple patches (name or regex) from extracting.\n"
+        "Eg, 'outlet' or '( inlet \".*Wall\" )'"
     );
 
     argList::addArgument("input", "The input surface file");