diff --git a/tracing-subscriber/src/fmt/fmt_layer.rs b/tracing-subscriber/src/fmt/fmt_layer.rs
index d350e8150..e2040b4a9 100644
--- a/tracing-subscriber/src/fmt/fmt_layer.rs
+++ b/tracing-subscriber/src/fmt/fmt_layer.rs
@@ -259,18 +259,33 @@ where
     /// - `FmtSpan::NONE`: No events will be synthesized when spans are
     ///    created, entered, exited, or closed. Data from spans will still be
     ///    included as the context for formatted events. This is the default.
-    /// - `FmtSpan::ACTIVE`: Events will be synthesized when spans are entered
-    ///    or exited.
+    /// - `FmtSpan::NEW`: An event will be synthesized when spans are created.
+    /// - `FmtSpan::ENTER`: An event will be synthesized when spans are entered.
+    /// - `FmtSpan::EXIT`: An event will be synthesized when spans are exited.
     /// - `FmtSpan::CLOSE`: An event will be synthesized when a span closes. If
     ///    [timestamps are enabled][time] for this formatter, the generated
     ///    event will contain fields with the span's _busy time_ (the total
     ///    time for which it was entered) and _idle time_ (the total time that
     ///    the span existed but was not entered).
+    /// - `FmtSpan::ACTIVE`: Events will be synthesized when spans are entered
+    ///    or exited.
     /// - `FmtSpan::FULL`: Events will be synthesized whenever a span is
     ///    created, entered, exited, or closed. If timestamps are enabled, the
     ///    close event will contain the span's busy and idle time, as
     ///    described above.
     ///
+    /// The options can be enabled in any combination. For instance, the following
+    /// will synthesize events whenever spans are created and closed:
+    ///
+    /// ```rust
+    /// use tracing_subscriber::fmt;
+    /// use tracing_subscriber::fmt::format::FmtSpan;
+    ///
+    /// let subscriber = fmt()
+    ///     .with_span_events(FmtSpan::NEW | FmtSpan::CLOSE)
+    ///     .finish();
+    /// ```
+    ///
     /// Note that the generated events will only be part of the log output by
     /// this formatter; they will not be recorded by other `Subscriber`s or by
     /// `Layer`s added to this subscriber.
@@ -627,7 +642,7 @@ where
     }
 
     fn on_enter(&self, id: &Id, ctx: Context<'_, S>) {
-        if self.fmt_span.trace_active() || self.fmt_span.trace_close() && self.fmt_span.fmt_timing {
+        if self.fmt_span.trace_enter() || self.fmt_span.trace_close() && self.fmt_span.fmt_timing {
             let span = ctx.span(id).expect("Span not found, this is a bug");
             let mut extensions = span.extensions_mut();
             if let Some(timings) = extensions.get_mut::<Timings>() {
@@ -636,7 +651,7 @@ where
                 timings.last = now;
             }
 
-            if self.fmt_span.trace_active() {
+            if self.fmt_span.trace_enter() {
                 with_event_from_span!(id, span, "message" = "enter", |event| {
                     drop(extensions);
                     drop(span);
@@ -647,7 +662,7 @@ where
     }
 
     fn on_exit(&self, id: &Id, ctx: Context<'_, S>) {
-        if self.fmt_span.trace_active() || self.fmt_span.trace_close() && self.fmt_span.fmt_timing {
+        if self.fmt_span.trace_exit() || self.fmt_span.trace_close() && self.fmt_span.fmt_timing {
             let span = ctx.span(id).expect("Span not found, this is a bug");
             let mut extensions = span.extensions_mut();
             if let Some(timings) = extensions.get_mut::<Timings>() {
@@ -656,7 +671,7 @@ where
                 timings.last = now;
             }
 
-            if self.fmt_span.trace_active() {
+            if self.fmt_span.trace_exit() {
                 with_event_from_span!(id, span, "message" = "exit", |event| {
                     drop(extensions);
                     drop(span);