diff --git a/Documentation/user-manual.txt b/Documentation/user-manual.txt
index fd480b8..2983e3b 100644
--- a/Documentation/user-manual.txt
+++ b/Documentation/user-manual.txt
@@ -2789,7 +2789,7 @@
 
 In some cases it is possible that the new head will *not* actually be
 a descendant of the old head.  For example, the developer may have
-realized she made a serious mistake, and decided to backtrack,
+realized a serious mistake was made and decided to backtrack,
 resulting in a situation like:
 
 ................................................