- If the text already in the buffer is the abbrev, rather than its
-expansion, use command @kbd{C-x a i g}
-(@code{inverse-add-global-abbrev}) instead of @kbd{C-x a g}, or use
-@kbd{C-x a i l} (@code{inverse-add-mode-abbrev}) instead of @kbd{C-x a
-l}. These commands are called ``inverse'' because they invert the
-meaning of the two text strings they use (one from the buffer and one
-read with the minibuffer).
+ If the abbrev text itself is already in the buffer, you can use the
+commands @kbd{C-x a i g} (@code{inverse-add-global-abbrev}) and
+@kbd{C-x a i l} (@code{inverse-add-mode-abbrev}) to define it as an
+abbrev by specify the expansion in the minibuffer. These commands are
+called ``inverse'' because they invert the meaning of the two text
+strings they use (one from the buffer and one read with the
+minibuffer).
+
+@findex define-mode-abbrev
+@findex define-global-abbrev
+ You can define an abbrev without inserting either the abbrev or its
+expansion in the buffer using the command @code{define-global-abbrev}.
+It reads two arguments---the abbrev, and its expansion. The command
+@code{define-mode-abbrev} does likewise for a mode-specific abbrev.