diff --git a/doc/go_mem.html b/doc/go_mem.html
index 661e1e781c..e0a7539472 100644
--- a/doc/go_mem.html
+++ b/doc/go_mem.html
@@ -221,7 +221,7 @@ for programs that do contain races.
 </p>
 
 <p>
-First, any implementation can, upon detecting a data race,
+Any implementation can, upon detecting a data race,
 report the race and halt execution of the program.
 Implementations using ThreadSanitizer
 (accessed with “<code>go</code> <code>build</code> <code>-race</code>”)
@@ -229,7 +229,18 @@ do exactly this.
 </p>
 
 <p>
-Otherwise, a read <i>r</i> of a memory location <i>x</i>
+A read of an array, struct, or complex number
+may by implemented as a read of each individual sub-value
+(array element, struct field, or real/imaginary component),
+in any order.
+Similarly, a write of an array, struct, or complex number
+may be implemented as a write of each individual sub-value,
+in any order.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+A read <i>r</i> of a memory location <i>x</i>
+holding a value
 that is not larger than a machine word must observe
 some write <i>w</i> such that <i>r</i> does not happen before <i>w</i>
 and there is no write <i>w'</i> such that <i>w</i> happens before <i>w'</i>