diff --git a/docs/html/reference/pip_install.rst b/docs/html/reference/pip_install.rst
index bd61151d7..9b5303e2b 100644
--- a/docs/html/reference/pip_install.rst
+++ b/docs/html/reference/pip_install.rst
@@ -934,6 +934,17 @@ Examples
 
       $ pip install --pre SomePackage
 
+
+#. Install packages from source.
+
+   Do not use any binary packages::
+
+     $ pip install SomePackage1 SomePackage2 --no-binary :all:
+
+   Specify ``SomePackage1`` to be installed from source::
+
+     $ pip install SomePackage1 SomePackage2 --no-binary SomePackage1
+
 ----
 
 .. [1] This is true with the exception that pip v7.0 and v7.0.1 required quotes
diff --git a/news/3191.doc b/news/3191.doc
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..513cf2d0a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/news/3191.doc
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Clarify the usage of --no-binary command.
diff --git a/src/pip/_internal/cli/cmdoptions.py b/src/pip/_internal/cli/cmdoptions.py
index 79958550e..4cbd5abf2 100644
--- a/src/pip/_internal/cli/cmdoptions.py
+++ b/src/pip/_internal/cli/cmdoptions.py
@@ -475,12 +475,12 @@ def no_binary():
         "--no-binary", dest="format_control", action="callback",
         callback=_handle_no_binary, type="str",
         default=format_control,
-        help="Do not use binary packages. Can be supplied multiple times, and "
-             "each time adds to the existing value. Accepts either :all: to "
-             "disable all binary packages, :none: to empty the set, or one or "
-             "more package names with commas between them (no colons). Note "
-             "that some packages are tricky to compile and may fail to "
-             "install when this option is used on them.",
+        help='Do not use binary packages. Can be supplied multiple times, and '
+             'each time adds to the existing value. Accepts either ":all:" to '
+             'disable all binary packages, ":none:" to empty the set (notice '
+             'the colons), or one or more package names with commas between '
+             'them (no colons). Note that some packages are tricky to compile '
+             'and may fail to install when this option is used on them.',
     )
 
 
@@ -491,12 +491,12 @@ def only_binary():
         "--only-binary", dest="format_control", action="callback",
         callback=_handle_only_binary, type="str",
         default=format_control,
-        help="Do not use source packages. Can be supplied multiple times, and "
-             "each time adds to the existing value. Accepts either :all: to "
-             "disable all source packages, :none: to empty the set, or one or "
-             "more package names with commas between them. Packages without "
-             "binary distributions will fail to install when this option is "
-             "used on them.",
+        help='Do not use source packages. Can be supplied multiple times, and '
+             'each time adds to the existing value. Accepts either ":all:" to '
+             'disable all source packages, ":none:" to empty the set, or one '
+             'or more package names with commas between them. Packages '
+             'without binary distributions will fail to install when this '
+             'option is used on them.',
     )