diff --git a/Objects/complexobject.c b/Objects/complexobject.c
index d50a6eb202b..96fa33d38b5 100644
--- a/Objects/complexobject.c
+++ b/Objects/complexobject.c
@@ -610,7 +610,7 @@ static PyObject *
 complex_int(PyObject *v)
 {
 	PyErr_SetString(PyExc_TypeError,
-		   "can't convert complex to int; use e.g. int(abs(z))");
+		   "can't convert complex to int; use int(abs(z))");
 	return NULL;
 }
 
@@ -618,7 +618,7 @@ static PyObject *
 complex_long(PyObject *v)
 {
 	PyErr_SetString(PyExc_TypeError,
-		   "can't convert complex to long; use e.g. long(abs(z))");
+		   "can't convert complex to long; use long(abs(z))");
 	return NULL;
 }
 
@@ -626,7 +626,7 @@ static PyObject *
 complex_float(PyObject *v)
 {
 	PyErr_SetString(PyExc_TypeError,
-		   "can't convert complex to float; use e.g. abs(z)");
+		   "can't convert complex to float; use abs(z)");
 	return NULL;
 }