diff --git a/etc/nova/rootwrap.conf b/etc/nova/rootwrap.conf
index aa466c5d5024..5dc07891e0f4 100644
--- a/etc/nova/rootwrap.conf
+++ b/etc/nova/rootwrap.conf
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 filters_path=/etc/nova/rootwrap.d,/usr/share/nova/rootwrap
 
 # List of directories to search executables in, in case filters do not
-# explicitely specify a full path (separated by ',')
+# explicitly specify a full path (separated by ',')
 # If not specified, defaults to system PATH environment variable.
 # These directories MUST all be only writeable by root !
 exec_dirs=/sbin,/usr/sbin,/bin,/usr/bin
diff --git a/nova/objects/instance_group.py b/nova/objects/instance_group.py
index a7c91e6cf238..a596896b0883 100644
--- a/nova/objects/instance_group.py
+++ b/nova/objects/instance_group.py
@@ -135,7 +135,7 @@ class InstanceGroup(base.NovaPersistentObject, base.NovaObject,
         # InstanceGroup.add_members() method is called, which adds the mapping
         # table entries.
         # So, since the only way to have hosts in the updates is to set that
-        # field explicitely, we prefer to raise an Exception so the developer
+        # field explicitly, we prefer to raise an Exception so the developer
         # knows he has to call obj_reset_changes(['hosts']) right after setting
         # the field.
         if 'hosts' in updates:
diff --git a/nova/objects/pci_device.py b/nova/objects/pci_device.py
index 0e4896199347..bc0f06c5a778 100644
--- a/nova/objects/pci_device.py
+++ b/nova/objects/pci_device.py
@@ -134,7 +134,7 @@ class PciDevice(base.NovaPersistentObject, base.NovaObject):
                 setattr(self, k, v)
             else:
                 # Note (yjiang5) extra_info.update does not update
-                # obj_what_changed, set it explicitely
+                # obj_what_changed, set it explicitly
                 extra_info = self.extra_info
                 extra_info.update({k: v})
                 self.extra_info = extra_info
diff --git a/nova/virt/xenapi/vmops.py b/nova/virt/xenapi/vmops.py
index 06b2761e1b2f..f46185956996 100644
--- a/nova/virt/xenapi/vmops.py
+++ b/nova/virt/xenapi/vmops.py
@@ -726,7 +726,7 @@ class VMOps(object):
             if not type_.startswith('/dev'):
                 continue
 
-            # Convert device name to userdevice number, e.g. /dev/xvdb -> 1
+            # Convert device name to user device number, e.g. /dev/xvdb -> 1
             userdevice = ord(block_device.strip_prefix(type_)) - ord('a')
             vm_utils.create_vbd(self._session, vm_ref, vdi_info['ref'],
                                 userdevice, bootable=False,
@@ -1179,7 +1179,7 @@ class VMOps(object):
     def migrate_disk_and_power_off(self, context, instance, dest,
                                    flavor, block_device_info):
         """Copies a VHD from one host machine to another, possibly
-        resizing filesystem before hand.
+        resizing filesystem beforehand.
 
         :param instance: the instance that owns the VHD in question.
         :param dest: the destination host machine.
@@ -1524,7 +1524,7 @@ class VMOps(object):
                         instance=instance)
             # NOTE(alaski): There should not be a block device mapping here,
             # but if there is it very likely means there was an error cleaning
-            # it up previously and there is now an orphaned sr/pbd.  This will
+            # it up previously and there is now an orphaned sr/pbd. This will
             # prevent both volume and instance deletes from completing.
             bdms = block_device_info['block_device_mapping'] or []
             if not bdms:
@@ -1683,12 +1683,12 @@ class VMOps(object):
                 self._session.call_xenapi("task.cancel", task_ref)
 
     def poll_rebooting_instances(self, timeout, instances):
-        """Look for expirable rebooting instances.
+        """Look for rebooting instances that can be expired.
 
             - issue a "hard" reboot to any instance that has been stuck in a
               reboot state for >= the given timeout
         """
-        # NOTE(jk0): All existing clean_reboot tasks must be cancelled before
+        # NOTE(jk0): All existing clean_reboot tasks must be canceled before
         # we can kick off the hard_reboot tasks.
         self._cancel_stale_tasks(timeout, 'VM.clean_reboot')
 
@@ -1925,7 +1925,7 @@ class VMOps(object):
             hostname = 'RESCUE-%s' % hostname
 
         if instance['os_type'] == "windows":
-            # NOTE(jk0): Windows hostnames can only be <= 15 chars.
+            # NOTE(jk0): Windows host names can only be <= 15 chars.
             hostname = hostname[:15]
 
         LOG.debug("Injecting hostname (%s) into xenstore", hostname,
@@ -1957,11 +1957,10 @@ class VMOps(object):
 
     def _read_from_xenstore(self, instance, path, ignore_missing_path=True,
                             vm_ref=None):
-        """Reads the passed location from xenstore for the given vm.
-        Missing paths are ignored, unless explicitely stated not to
-        which will cause and exception to be raised by xenstore.
-        A XenAPIPlugin.PluginError will be raised if any error is
-        encountered in the read process.
+        """Reads the passed location from xenstore for the given vm. Missing
+        paths are ignored, unless explicitly stated not to, which causes
+        xenstore to raise an exception. A XenAPIPlugin.PluginError is raised
+        if any error is encountered in the read process.
         """
         # NOTE(sulo): These need to be string for valid field type
         # for xapi.
@@ -2204,7 +2203,7 @@ class VMOps(object):
         present but not reported, try to fake the info for live-migration.
         """
         if self._pv_driver_version_reported(instance, vm_ref):
-            # Since driver version is reported we dont need to do anything
+            # Since driver version is reported we do not need to do anything
             return
 
         if self._pv_device_reported(instance, vm_ref):