diff --git a/beets/library.py b/beets/library.py
index a57ed1642..b1093676f 100644
--- a/beets/library.py
+++ b/beets/library.py
@@ -1296,11 +1296,11 @@ class DefaultTemplateFunctions(object):
         return unidecode(s)
 
     @staticmethod
-    def tmpl_time(s, format):
+    def tmpl_time(s, fmt):
         """Format a time value using `strftime`.
         """
         cur_fmt = beets.config['time_format'].get(unicode)
-        return time.strftime(format, time.strptime(s, cur_fmt))
+        return time.strftime(fmt, time.strptime(s, cur_fmt))
 
     def tmpl_aunique(self, keys=None, disam=None):
         """Generate a string that is guaranteed to be unique among all
diff --git a/beets/ui/commands.py b/beets/ui/commands.py
index 32201f58d..6612ca2cd 100644
--- a/beets/ui/commands.py
+++ b/beets/ui/commands.py
@@ -438,8 +438,8 @@ def summarize_items(items, singleton):
         summary_parts.append(items[0].format)
     else:
         # Enumerate all the formats.
-        for format, count in format_counts.iteritems():
-            summary_parts.append('{0} {1}'.format(format, count))
+        for fmt, count in format_counts.iteritems():
+            summary_parts.append('{0} {1}'.format(fmt, count))
 
     average_bitrate = sum([item.bitrate for item in items]) / len(items)
     total_duration = sum([item.length for item in items])
diff --git a/beetsplug/convert.py b/beetsplug/convert.py
index 2f49b5ef8..352c3c94d 100644
--- a/beetsplug/convert.py
+++ b/beetsplug/convert.py
@@ -49,25 +49,25 @@ def replace_ext(path, ext):
     return os.path.splitext(path)[0] + b'.' + ext
 
 
-def get_format(format=None):
+def get_format(fmt=None):
     """Return the command tempate and the extension from the config.
     """
-    if not format:
-        format = config['convert']['format'].get(unicode).lower()
-    format = ALIASES.get(format, format)
+    if not fmt:
+        fmt = config['convert']['format'].get(unicode).lower()
+    fmt = ALIASES.get(fmt, fmt)
 
     try:
-        format_info = config['convert']['formats'][format].get(dict)
+        format_info = config['convert']['formats'][fmt].get(dict)
         command = format_info['command']
         extension = format_info['extension']
     except KeyError:
         raise ui.UserError(
             u'convert: format {0} needs "command" and "extension" fields'
-            .format(format)
+            .format(fmt)
         )
     except ConfigTypeError:
-        command = config['convert']['formats'][format].get(bytes)
-        extension = format
+        command = config['convert']['formats'][fmt].get(bytes)
+        extension = fmt
 
     # Convenience and backwards-compatibility shortcuts.
     keys = config['convert'].keys()
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ def get_format(format=None):
     return (command.encode('utf8'), extension.encode('utf8'))
 
 
-def should_transcode(item, format):
+def should_transcode(item, fmt):
     """Determine whether the item should be transcoded as part of
     conversion (i.e., its bitrate is high or it has the wrong format).
     """
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ def should_transcode(item, format):
             not (item.format.lower() in LOSSLESS_FORMATS):
         return False
     maxbr = config['convert']['max_bitrate'].get(int)
-    return format.lower() != item.format.lower() or \
+    return fmt.lower() != item.format.lower() or \
         item.bitrate >= 1000 * maxbr
 
 
@@ -209,9 +209,9 @@ class ConvertPlugin(BeetsPlugin):
             self._log.info(u'Finished encoding {0}',
                            util.displayable_path(source))
 
-    def convert_item(self, dest_dir, keep_new, path_formats, format,
+    def convert_item(self, dest_dir, keep_new, path_formats, fmt,
                      pretend=False):
-        command, ext = get_format(format)
+        command, ext = get_format(fmt)
         item, original, converted = None, None, None
         while True:
             item = yield (item, original, converted)
@@ -224,11 +224,11 @@ class ConvertPlugin(BeetsPlugin):
             if keep_new:
                 original = dest
                 converted = item.path
-                if should_transcode(item, format):
+                if should_transcode(item, fmt):
                     converted = replace_ext(converted, ext)
             else:
                 original = item.path
-                if should_transcode(item, format):
+                if should_transcode(item, fmt):
                     dest = replace_ext(dest, ext)
                 converted = dest
 
@@ -254,7 +254,7 @@ class ConvertPlugin(BeetsPlugin):
                                    util.displayable_path(original))
                     util.move(item.path, original)
 
-            if should_transcode(item, format):
+            if should_transcode(item, fmt):
                 try:
                     self.encode(command, original, converted, pretend)
                 except subprocess.CalledProcessError:
@@ -386,8 +386,8 @@ class ConvertPlugin(BeetsPlugin):
         """Transcode a file automatically after it is imported into the
         library.
         """
-        format = self.config['format'].get(unicode).lower()
-        if should_transcode(item, format):
+        fmt = self.config['format'].get(unicode).lower()
+        if should_transcode(item, fmt):
             command, ext = get_format()
             fd, dest = tempfile.mkstemp('.' + ext)
             os.close(fd)
diff --git a/beetsplug/the.py b/beetsplug/the.py
index 3fb16dcf9..538b81245 100644
--- a/beetsplug/the.py
+++ b/beetsplug/the.py
@@ -30,12 +30,6 @@ FORMAT = u'{0}, {1}'
 
 class ThePlugin(BeetsPlugin):
 
-    _instance = None
-
-    the = True
-    a = True
-    format = u''
-    strip = False
     patterns = []
 
     def __init__(self):
diff --git a/test/test_the.py b/test/test_the.py
index 1b33c390e..e04db1aec 100644
--- a/test/test_the.py
+++ b/test/test_the.py
@@ -44,7 +44,6 @@ class ThePluginTest(_common.TestCase):
 
     def test_template_function_with_defaults(self):
         ThePlugin().patterns = [PATTERN_THE, PATTERN_A]
-        ThePlugin().format = FORMAT
         self.assertEqual(ThePlugin().the_template_func('The The'), 'The, The')
         self.assertEqual(ThePlugin().the_template_func('An A'), 'A, An')