diff --git a/test/runner/lib/test.py b/test/runner/lib/test.py
index c199fb1f01f..2dc2248b1de 100644
--- a/test/runner/lib/test.py
+++ b/test/runner/lib/test.py
@@ -339,16 +339,16 @@ class TestFailure(TestResult):
         command = self.format_command()
 
         if self.summary:
-            reason = 'error'
+            reason = 'the error'
         else:
-            reason = 'error' if len(self.messages) == 1 else 'errors'
+            reason = '1 error' if len(self.messages) == 1 else '%d errors' % len(self.messages)
 
         if help_link:
-            help_link_markup = ' [[?](%s)]' % help_link
+            help_link_markup = ' [[explain](%s)]' % help_link
         else:
             help_link_markup = ''
 
-        title = 'The test `%s`%s failed with the following %s:' % (command, help_link_markup, reason)
+        title = 'The test `%s`%s failed with %s:' % (command, help_link_markup, reason)
 
         return title