diff --git a/Lib/idlelib/FormatParagraph.py b/Lib/idlelib/FormatParagraph.py
index cf5e36589b3..eb0e69392ac 100644
--- a/Lib/idlelib/FormatParagraph.py
+++ b/Lib/idlelib/FormatParagraph.py
@@ -14,7 +14,6 @@
 #   spaces, they will not be considered part of the same block.
 # * Fancy comments, like this bulleted list, arent handled :-)
 
-import string
 import re
 
 class FormatParagraph:
@@ -42,14 +41,14 @@ def format_paragraph_event(self, event):
                     find_paragraph(text, text.index("insert"))
         if comment_header:
             # Reformat the comment lines - convert to text sans header.
-            lines = string.split(data, "\n")
+            lines = data.split("\n")
             lines = map(lambda st, l=len(comment_header): st[l:], lines)
-            data = string.join(lines, "\n")
+            data = "\n".join(lines)
             # Reformat to 70 chars or a 20 char width, whichever is greater.
             format_width = max(70-len(comment_header), 20)
             newdata = reformat_paragraph(data, format_width)
             # re-split and re-insert the comment header.
-            newdata = string.split(newdata, "\n")
+            newdata = newdata.split("\n")
             # If the block ends in a \n, we dont want the comment
             # prefix inserted after it. (Im not sure it makes sense to
             # reformat a comment block that isnt made of complete
@@ -60,7 +59,7 @@ def format_paragraph_event(self, event):
                 block_suffix = "\n"
                 newdata = newdata[:-1]
             builder = lambda item, prefix=comment_header: prefix+item
-            newdata = string.join(map(builder, newdata), '\n') + block_suffix
+            newdata = '\n'.join(map(builder, newdata)) + block_suffix
         else:
             # Just a normal text format
             newdata = reformat_paragraph(data)
@@ -76,7 +75,7 @@ def format_paragraph_event(self, event):
         text.see("insert")
 
 def find_paragraph(text, mark):
-    lineno, col = map(int, string.split(mark, "."))
+    lineno, col = map(int, mark.split("."))
     line = text.get("%d.0" % lineno, "%d.0 lineend" % lineno)
     while text.compare("%d.0" % lineno, "<", "end") and is_all_white(line):
         lineno = lineno + 1
@@ -101,7 +100,7 @@ def find_paragraph(text, mark):
     return first, last, comment_header, text.get(first, last)
 
 def reformat_paragraph(data, limit=70):
-    lines = string.split(data, "\n")
+    lines = data.split("\n")
     i = 0
     n = len(lines)
     while i < n and is_all_white(lines[i]):
@@ -122,18 +121,18 @@ def reformat_paragraph(data, limit=70):
             word = words[j]
             if not word:
                 continue # Can happen when line ends in whitespace
-            if len(string.expandtabs(partial + word)) > limit and \
+            if len((partial + word).expandtabs()) > limit and \
                partial != indent1:
-                new.append(string.rstrip(partial))
+                new.append(partial.rstrip())
                 partial = indent2
             partial = partial + word + " "
             if j+1 < len(words) and words[j+1] != " ":
                 partial = partial + " "
         i = i+1
-    new.append(string.rstrip(partial))
+    new.append(partial.rstrip())
     # XXX Should reformat remaining paragraphs as well
     new.extend(lines[i:])
-    return string.join(new, "\n")
+    return "\n".join(new)
 
 def is_all_white(line):
     return re.match(r"^\s*$", line) is not None