diff --git a/dvc/command/add.py b/dvc/command/add.py
index 45c74c06f..16b3b979e 100644
--- a/dvc/command/add.py
+++ b/dvc/command/add.py
@@ -57,6 +57,6 @@ def add_parser(subparsers, parent_parser):
         "-f", "--file", help="Specify name of the DVC-file it generates."
     )
     add_parser.add_argument(
-        "targets", nargs="+", help="Input files/directories."
+        "targets", nargs="+", help="Input files/directories to add."
     )
     add_parser.set_defaults(func=CmdAdd)
diff --git a/dvc/command/checkout.py b/dvc/command/checkout.py
index 6637140b2..cf3560f39 100644
--- a/dvc/command/checkout.py
+++ b/dvc/command/checkout.py
@@ -51,5 +51,10 @@ def add_parser(subparsers, parent_parser):
         default=False,
         help="Checkout all subdirectories of the specified directory.",
     )
-    checkout_parser.add_argument("targets", nargs="*", help="DVC-files.")
+    checkout_parser.add_argument(
+        "targets",
+        nargs="*",
+        help="DVC-files to checkout. Optional."
+        "(Finds all DVC-files in the workspace by default.)",
+    )
     checkout_parser.set_defaults(func=CmdCheckout)
diff --git a/dvc/command/commit.py b/dvc/command/commit.py
index 8ba3b99f3..ef703e117 100644
--- a/dvc/command/commit.py
+++ b/dvc/command/commit.py
@@ -65,6 +65,10 @@ def add_parser(subparsers, parent_parser):
         help="Commit cache for subdirectories of the specified directory.",
     )
     commit_parser.add_argument(
-        "targets", nargs="*", default=None, help="DVC-files."
+        "targets",
+        nargs="*",
+        default=None,
+        help="DVC-files to commit. Optional."
+        "(Finds all DVC-files in the workspace by default.)",
     )
     commit_parser.set_defaults(func=CmdCommit)
diff --git a/dvc/command/data_sync.py b/dvc/command/data_sync.py
index 7945435a2..b8319b8d4 100644
--- a/dvc/command/data_sync.py
+++ b/dvc/command/data_sync.py
@@ -117,10 +117,8 @@ def shared_parent_parser():
         "targets",
         nargs="*",
         default=None,
-        help=(
-            "Limit command scope to these DVC-files."
-            " Using -R, directories to search DVC-files in can also be given."
-        ),
+        help="Limit command scope to these DVC-files. "
+        "Using -R, directories to search DVC-files in can also be given.",
     )
 
     return shared_parent_parser
diff --git a/dvc/command/lock.py b/dvc/command/lock.py
index e934380ed..b231783e7 100644
--- a/dvc/command/lock.py
+++ b/dvc/command/lock.py
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ class CmdUnlock(CmdLockBase):
 
 
 def add_parser(subparsers, parent_parser):
-    LOCK_HELP = "Lock DVC-file."
+    LOCK_HELP = "Lock DVC-files."
     lock_parser = subparsers.add_parser(
         "lock",
         parents=[parent_parser],
@@ -45,10 +45,12 @@ def add_parser(subparsers, parent_parser):
         help=LOCK_HELP,
         formatter_class=argparse.RawDescriptionHelpFormatter,
     )
-    lock_parser.add_argument("targets", nargs="+", help="DVC-files.")
+    lock_parser.add_argument(
+        "targets", nargs="*", help="DVC-files to lock. Optional."
+    )
     lock_parser.set_defaults(func=CmdLock)
 
-    UNLOCK_HELP = "Unlock DVC-file."
+    UNLOCK_HELP = "Unlock DVC-files."
     unlock_parser = subparsers.add_parser(
         "unlock",
         parents=[parent_parser],
@@ -56,5 +58,7 @@ def add_parser(subparsers, parent_parser):
         help=UNLOCK_HELP,
         formatter_class=argparse.RawDescriptionHelpFormatter,
     )
-    unlock_parser.add_argument("targets", nargs="+", help="DVC-files.")
+    unlock_parser.add_argument(
+        "targets", nargs="*", help="DVC-files to unlock. Optional."
+    )
     unlock_parser.set_defaults(func=CmdUnlock)
diff --git a/dvc/command/pipeline.py b/dvc/command/pipeline.py
index 70b8bd79d..d578b2493 100644
--- a/dvc/command/pipeline.py
+++ b/dvc/command/pipeline.py
@@ -197,7 +197,7 @@ def add_parser(subparsers, parent_parser):
 
     fix_subparsers(pipeline_subparsers)
 
-    PIPELINE_SHOW_HELP = "Show pipeline."
+    PIPELINE_SHOW_HELP = "Show pipelines."
     pipeline_show_parser = pipeline_subparsers.add_parser(
         "show",
         parents=[parent_parser],
@@ -246,7 +246,10 @@ def add_parser(subparsers, parent_parser):
         help="Output DAG as Dependencies Tree.",
     )
     pipeline_show_parser.add_argument(
-        "targets", nargs="*", help="DVC-files. 'Dvcfile' by default."
+        "targets",
+        nargs="*",
+        help="DVC-files to show pipeline for. Optional."
+        "(Finds all DVC-files in the workspace by default.)",
     )
     pipeline_show_parser.set_defaults(func=CmdPipelineShow)
 
diff --git a/dvc/command/remove.py b/dvc/command/remove.py
index 4a006a575..0a308f0c5 100644
--- a/dvc/command/remove.py
+++ b/dvc/command/remove.py
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ class CmdRemove(CmdBase):
 
 
 def add_parser(subparsers, parent_parser):
-    REMOVE_HELP = "Remove outputs of DVC-file."
+    REMOVE_HELP = "Remove DVC-file outputs."
     remove_parser = subparsers.add_parser(
         "remove",
         parents=[parent_parser],
@@ -73,5 +73,10 @@ def add_parser(subparsers, parent_parser):
         default=False,
         help="Force purge.",
     )
-    remove_parser.add_argument("targets", nargs="+", help="DVC-files.")
+    remove_parser.add_argument(
+        "targets",
+        nargs="*",
+        help="DVC-files to remove. Optional."
+        "(Finds all DVC-files in the workspace by default.)",
+    )
     remove_parser.set_defaults(func=CmdRemove)
diff --git a/dvc/command/repro.py b/dvc/command/repro.py
index 3c7ee2f21..707657139 100644
--- a/dvc/command/repro.py
+++ b/dvc/command/repro.py
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ class CmdRepro(CmdBase):
 
 
 def add_parser(subparsers, parent_parser):
-    REPRO_HELP = "Check for changes and reproduce DVC-file and dependencies."
+    REPRO_HELP = "Check for changes and reproduce stages and dependencies."
     repro_parser = subparsers.add_parser(
         "repro",
         parents=[parent_parser],
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ def add_parser(subparsers, parent_parser):
     repro_parser.add_argument(
         "targets",
         nargs="*",
-        help="DVC-file to reproduce (default - 'Dvcfile').",
+        help="DVC-file to reproduce. 'Dvcfile' by default.",
     )
     repro_parser.add_argument(
         "-f",
diff --git a/dvc/command/unprotect.py b/dvc/command/unprotect.py
index e62848992..b4b276234 100644
--- a/dvc/command/unprotect.py
+++ b/dvc/command/unprotect.py
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ class CmdUnprotect(CmdBase):
 
 
 def add_parser(subparsers, parent_parser):
-    UNPROTECT_HELP = "Unprotect a data file/directory."
+    UNPROTECT_HELP = "Unprotect data files or directories."
     unprotect_parser = subparsers.add_parser(
         "unprotect",
         parents=[parent_parser],
@@ -32,6 +32,6 @@ def add_parser(subparsers, parent_parser):
         formatter_class=argparse.RawDescriptionHelpFormatter,
     )
     unprotect_parser.add_argument(
-        "targets", nargs="+", help="Data files/directory."
+        "targets", nargs="+", help="Data files/directories to unprotect."
     )
     unprotect_parser.set_defaults(func=CmdUnprotect)