diff --git a/doc/ctrlp.txt b/doc/ctrlp.txt
index 3549a32e..20f2ffe3 100644
--- a/doc/ctrlp.txt
+++ b/doc/ctrlp.txt
@@ -180,13 +180,12 @@ variable: >
   let g:ctrlp_working_path_mode = 'ra'
 <
   c - the directory of the current file.
-  a - like "c", but only applies when the current working directory outside of
-      CtrlP isn't a direct ancestor of the directory of the current file.
-  r - the nearest ancestor that contains one of these directories or files:
+  a - the directory of the current file, unless it is a subdirectory of the cwd
+  r - the nearest ancestor of the current file that contains one of these
+      directories or files:
       .git .hg .svn .bzr _darcs
-  w - begin finding a root from the current working directory outside of CtrlP
-      instead of from the directory of the current file (default). Only applies
-      when "r" is also present.
+  w - modifier to "r": start search from the cwd instead of the current file's
+      directory
   0 or <empty> - disable this feature.
 
 Note #1: if "a" or "c" is included with "r", use the behavior of "a" or "c" (as
diff --git a/readme.md b/readme.md
index ce47e946..df132f93 100644
--- a/readme.md
+++ b/readme.md
@@ -50,10 +50,11 @@ Use `:diffthis` when opening multiple files to run `:diffthis` on the first 4 fi
     let g:ctrlp_working_path_mode = 'ra'
     ```
 
-    `'c'` - use the parent directory of the current file.
-    `'a'` - use the parent directory of the current file if it is not a descendant of the current working directory outside of CtrlP.
-    `'r'` - use the nearest ancestor of the current file that contains one of these markers: `.git` `.hg` `.svn` `.bzr` `_darcs`
-    `0` or `''` (empty string) - use the current working directory outside of CtrlP.
+    `'c'` - the directory of the current file.  
+    `'a'` - the directory of the current file, unless it is a subdirectory of the cwd  
+    `'r'` - the nearest ancestor of the current file that contains one of these directories or files: `.git` `.hg` `.svn` `.bzr` `_darcs`  
+    `'w'` - modifier to "r": start search from the cwd instead of the current file's directory  
+    `0` or `''` (empty string) - disable this feature.
 
     If none of the default markers (`.git` `.hg` `.svn` `.bzr` `_darcs`) are present in a project, you can define additional ones with `g:ctrlp_root_markers`: