diff --git a/src/os/file.go b/src/os/file.go
index f1366110cc..8c0e3ffe1b 100644
--- a/src/os/file.go
+++ b/src/os/file.go
@@ -192,7 +192,7 @@ func (f *File) Seek(offset int64, whence int) (ret int64, err error) {
 
 // WriteString is like Write, but writes the contents of string s rather than
 // a slice of bytes.
-func (f *File) WriteString(s string) (ret int, err error) {
+func (f *File) WriteString(s string) (n int, err error) {
 	if f == nil {
 		return 0, ErrInvalid
 	}
@@ -242,16 +242,16 @@ func (f *File) Chdir() error {
 // the returned file can be used for reading; the associated file
 // descriptor has mode O_RDONLY.
 // If there is an error, it will be of type *PathError.
-func Open(name string) (file *File, err error) {
+func Open(name string) (*File, error) {
 	return OpenFile(name, O_RDONLY, 0)
 }
 
-// Create creates the named file mode 0666 (before umask), truncating
-// it if it already exists.  If successful, methods on the returned
+// Create creates the named file with mode 0666 (before umask), truncating
+// it if it already exists. If successful, methods on the returned
 // File can be used for I/O; the associated file descriptor has mode
 // O_RDWR.
 // If there is an error, it will be of type *PathError.
-func Create(name string) (file *File, err error) {
+func Create(name string) (*File, error) {
 	return OpenFile(name, O_RDWR|O_CREATE|O_TRUNC, 0666)
 }
 
diff --git a/src/os/file_plan9.go b/src/os/file_plan9.go
index 6850884d58..085ebc4c8a 100644
--- a/src/os/file_plan9.go
+++ b/src/os/file_plan9.go
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ func syscallMode(i FileMode) (o uint32) {
 // (O_RDONLY etc.) and perm, (0666 etc.) if applicable.  If successful,
 // methods on the returned File can be used for I/O.
 // If there is an error, it will be of type *PathError.
-func OpenFile(name string, flag int, perm FileMode) (file *File, err error) {
+func OpenFile(name string, flag int, perm FileMode) (*File, error) {
 	var (
 		fd     int
 		e      error
@@ -159,7 +159,7 @@ func (file *file) close() error {
 
 // Stat returns the FileInfo structure describing file.
 // If there is an error, it will be of type *PathError.
-func (f *File) Stat() (fi FileInfo, err error) {
+func (f *File) Stat() (FileInfo, error) {
 	if f == nil {
 		return nil, ErrInvalid
 	}
@@ -224,7 +224,7 @@ func (f *File) Chmod(mode FileMode) error {
 // Sync commits the current contents of the file to stable storage.
 // Typically, this means flushing the file system's in-memory copy
 // of recently written data to disk.
-func (f *File) Sync() (err error) {
+func (f *File) Sync() error {
 	if f == nil {
 		return ErrInvalid
 	}
diff --git a/src/os/file_posix.go b/src/os/file_posix.go
index 8f10617e4b..6d8076fdf5 100644
--- a/src/os/file_posix.go
+++ b/src/os/file_posix.go
@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@ func (f *File) Truncate(size int64) error {
 // Sync commits the current contents of the file to stable storage.
 // Typically, this means flushing the file system's in-memory copy
 // of recently written data to disk.
-func (f *File) Sync() (err error) {
+func (f *File) Sync() error {
 	if f == nil {
 		return ErrInvalid
 	}
diff --git a/src/os/file_unix.go b/src/os/file_unix.go
index 142f885276..0677707ee0 100644
--- a/src/os/file_unix.go
+++ b/src/os/file_unix.go
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ const DevNull = "/dev/null"
 // (O_RDONLY etc.) and perm, (0666 etc.) if applicable.  If successful,
 // methods on the returned File can be used for I/O.
 // If there is an error, it will be of type *PathError.
-func OpenFile(name string, flag int, perm FileMode) (file *File, err error) {
+func OpenFile(name string, flag int, perm FileMode) (*File, error) {
 	chmod := false
 	if !supportsCreateWithStickyBit && flag&O_CREATE != 0 && perm&ModeSticky != 0 {
 		if _, err := Stat(name); IsNotExist(err) {
@@ -135,12 +135,12 @@ func (file *file) close() error {
 
 // Stat returns the FileInfo structure describing file.
 // If there is an error, it will be of type *PathError.
-func (f *File) Stat() (fi FileInfo, err error) {
+func (f *File) Stat() (FileInfo, error) {
 	if f == nil {
 		return nil, ErrInvalid
 	}
 	var stat syscall.Stat_t
-	err = syscall.Fstat(f.fd, &stat)
+	err := syscall.Fstat(f.fd, &stat)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, &PathError{"stat", f.name, err}
 	}
@@ -149,9 +149,9 @@ func (f *File) Stat() (fi FileInfo, err error) {
 
 // Stat returns a FileInfo describing the named file.
 // If there is an error, it will be of type *PathError.
-func Stat(name string) (fi FileInfo, err error) {
+func Stat(name string) (FileInfo, error) {
 	var stat syscall.Stat_t
-	err = syscall.Stat(name, &stat)
+	err := syscall.Stat(name, &stat)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, &PathError{"stat", name, err}
 	}
@@ -162,9 +162,9 @@ func Stat(name string) (fi FileInfo, err error) {
 // If the file is a symbolic link, the returned FileInfo
 // describes the symbolic link.  Lstat makes no attempt to follow the link.
 // If there is an error, it will be of type *PathError.
-func Lstat(name string) (fi FileInfo, err error) {
+func Lstat(name string) (FileInfo, error) {
 	var stat syscall.Stat_t
-	err = syscall.Lstat(name, &stat)
+	err := syscall.Lstat(name, &stat)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, &PathError{"lstat", name, err}
 	}
diff --git a/src/os/file_windows.go b/src/os/file_windows.go
index 9444ac5d6f..89b1d27fce 100644
--- a/src/os/file_windows.go
+++ b/src/os/file_windows.go
@@ -134,7 +134,7 @@ func openDir(name string) (file *File, err error) {
 // (O_RDONLY etc.) and perm, (0666 etc.) if applicable.  If successful,
 // methods on the returned File can be used for I/O.
 // If there is an error, it will be of type *PathError.
-func OpenFile(name string, flag int, perm FileMode) (file *File, err error) {
+func OpenFile(name string, flag int, perm FileMode) (*File, error) {
 	if name == "" {
 		return nil, &PathError{"open", name, syscall.ENOENT}
 	}
diff --git a/src/os/stat_plan9.go b/src/os/stat_plan9.go
index ddb304fd94..fa4bd83aef 100644
--- a/src/os/stat_plan9.go
+++ b/src/os/stat_plan9.go
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ func dirstat(arg interface{}) (*syscall.Dir, error) {
 
 // Stat returns a FileInfo describing the named file.
 // If there is an error, it will be of type *PathError.
-func Stat(name string) (fi FileInfo, err error) {
+func Stat(name string) (FileInfo, error) {
 	d, err := dirstat(name)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ func Stat(name string) (fi FileInfo, err error) {
 // If the file is a symbolic link, the returned FileInfo
 // describes the symbolic link.  Lstat makes no attempt to follow the link.
 // If there is an error, it will be of type *PathError.
-func Lstat(name string) (fi FileInfo, err error) {
+func Lstat(name string) (FileInfo, error) {
 	return Stat(name)
 }
 
diff --git a/src/os/stat_windows.go b/src/os/stat_windows.go
index f396c1db31..966163b2ba 100644
--- a/src/os/stat_windows.go
+++ b/src/os/stat_windows.go
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ import (
 
 // Stat returns the FileInfo structure describing file.
 // If there is an error, it will be of type *PathError.
-func (file *File) Stat() (fi FileInfo, err error) {
+func (file *File) Stat() (FileInfo, error) {
 	if file == nil {
 		return nil, ErrInvalid
 	}
@@ -48,28 +48,29 @@ func (file *File) Stat() (fi FileInfo, err error) {
 
 // Stat returns a FileInfo structure describing the named file.
 // If there is an error, it will be of type *PathError.
-func Stat(name string) (fi FileInfo, err error) {
+func Stat(name string) (FileInfo, error) {
+	var fi FileInfo
+	var err error
 	for {
 		fi, err = Lstat(name)
 		if err != nil {
-			return
+			return fi, err
 		}
 		if fi.Mode()&ModeSymlink == 0 {
-			return
+			return fi, nil
 		}
 		name, err = Readlink(name)
 		if err != nil {
-			return
+			return fi, err
 		}
 	}
-	return fi, err
 }
 
 // Lstat returns the FileInfo structure describing the named file.
 // If the file is a symbolic link, the returned FileInfo
 // describes the symbolic link.  Lstat makes no attempt to follow the link.
 // If there is an error, it will be of type *PathError.
-func Lstat(name string) (fi FileInfo, err error) {
+func Lstat(name string) (FileInfo, error) {
 	if len(name) == 0 {
 		return nil, &PathError{"Lstat", name, syscall.Errno(syscall.ERROR_PATH_NOT_FOUND)}
 	}