diff --git a/src/composite.c b/src/composite.c
index 5c56107fb77..2c589e4f3a9 100644
--- a/src/composite.c
+++ b/src/composite.c
@@ -1988,7 +1988,8 @@ a function to call to compose that character.
 
 The element at index C in the table, if non-nil, is a list of
 composition rules of the form ([PATTERN PREV-CHARS FUNC] ...);
-they must be in the descending order of PREV-CHARS values.
+the rules must be specified in the descending order of PREV-CHARS
+values.
 
 PATTERN is a regular expression which C and the surrounding
 characters must match.