diff --git a/plugins/outputs/kafka/README.md b/plugins/outputs/kafka/README.md
index eec727573..b548deaa0 100644
--- a/plugins/outputs/kafka/README.md
+++ b/plugins/outputs/kafka/README.md
@@ -88,11 +88,11 @@ This plugin writes to a [Kafka Broker](http://kafka.apache.org/07/quickstart.htm
 
 #### `max_retry`
 
-This option controls the number of retries per message no acknowledgement is
-received from the broker before notification of failure is displayed.  When
-this option greater than `0` can reduce latency and duplicate messages in the
-case of transient errors, but may also increase the load on the broker during
-periods of downtime.
+This option controls the retries before notification of failure is displayed
+per message when no acknowledgement is received from the broker.  When this
+option is greater than `0` it can reduce message latency and duplicate
+messages in the case of transient errors, but may also increase the load on
+the broker during periods of downtime.
 
 The option is similar to the
 [retries](https://kafka.apache.org/documentation/#producerconfigs) Producer