diff --git a/language/operators.xml b/language/operators.xml
index ea6544106d..242b9184f9 100644
--- a/language/operators.xml
+++ b/language/operators.xml
@@ -1455,8 +1455,8 @@ if (empty($_POST['action'])) {
     </para>
     <note>
      <simpara>
-      Please note that the ternary operator is a statement, and that it
-      doesn't evaluate to a variable, but to the result of a statement. This
+      Please note that the ternary operator is an expression, and that it
+      doesn't evaluate to a variable, but to the result of an expression. This
       is important to know if you want to return a variable by reference.
       The statement <literal>return $var == 42 ? $a : $b;</literal> in a
       return-by-reference function will therefore not work and a warning is