diff --git a/src/variables.jl b/src/variables.jl
index e815f24b6c2..df70cf9e9a3 100644
--- a/src/variables.jl
+++ b/src/variables.jl
@@ -227,7 +227,7 @@ variable_ref_type(::F) where {F} = variable_ref_type(F)
 function variable_ref_type(::Type{F}) where {F}
     return error(
         "Unable to compute the `variable_ref_type` of the type `$F`. If you " *
-        "are developing a JuMP extension, defined a new method for " *
+        "are developing a JuMP extension, define a new method for " *
         "`JuMP.variable_ref_type(::Type{$F})`",
     )
 end
diff --git a/test/test_variable.jl b/test/test_variable.jl
index 2a439c7ed7a..4e4a2221f91 100644
--- a/test/test_variable.jl
+++ b/test/test_variable.jl
@@ -1560,8 +1560,8 @@ function test_variable_ref_type_unsupported()
         @test_throws(
             ErrorException(
                 "Unable to compute the `variable_ref_type` of the type `$F`. If you " *
-                "are developing a JuMP extension, defined a new method for " *
-                "`JuMP.variable_ref_type(::Type{$F}`",
+                "are developing a JuMP extension, define a new method for " *
+                "`JuMP.variable_ref_type(::Type{$F})`",
             ),
             variable_ref_type(F),
         )