diff --git a/sklearn/tests/test_docstrings.py b/sklearn/tests/test_docstrings.py
index 80f89189ed274..49434be9914bd 100644
--- a/sklearn/tests/test_docstrings.py
+++ b/sklearn/tests/test_docstrings.py
@@ -74,7 +74,6 @@
     "sklearn.utils.sparsefuncs.inplace_swap_row",
     "sklearn.utils.sparsefuncs.inplace_swap_row_csc",
     "sklearn.utils.sparsefuncs.inplace_swap_row_csr",
-    "sklearn.utils.sparsefuncs.mean_variance_axis",
     "sklearn.utils.validation.check_is_fitted",
 ]
 FUNCTION_DOCSTRING_IGNORE_LIST = set(FUNCTION_DOCSTRING_IGNORE_LIST)
diff --git a/sklearn/utils/sparsefuncs.py b/sklearn/utils/sparsefuncs.py
index 64a86cf1180bf..e04dabaf5f829 100644
--- a/sklearn/utils/sparsefuncs.py
+++ b/sklearn/utils/sparsefuncs.py
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ def mean_variance_axis(X, axis, weights=None, return_sum_weights=False):
         Axis along which the axis should be computed.
 
     weights : ndarray of shape (n_samples,) or (n_features,), default=None
-        if axis is set to 0 shape is (n_samples,) or
+        If axis is set to 0 shape is (n_samples,) or
         if axis is set to 1 shape is (n_features,).
         If it is set to None, then samples are equally weighted.