;examples:multi-year: edits

examples/multi-year/README.md

@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
+## Working with multiple year files
+
 Here are some yearly journal files demonstrating issues and techniques
-discussed in the [close docs](https://hledger.org/dev/hledger.html>).
+discussed in the [close docs](https://hledger.org/dev/hledger.html).
 
 `2021.journal`, `2022.journal` and `2023.journal` each have
 only an opening balances transaction and some ordinary transactions. 
@@ -12,23 +14,24 @@ To solve this, whenever we transition to a new file we can
 
 - add a counterbalancing [closing transaction](https://hledger.org/hledger.html#close) using `close`.
 
-Also (not necessary for basic personal accounting, but if we want to be fully correct), we should ensure all equity is accounted for:
+Also (not necessary for basic personal accounting, but if we want to be fully correct), we can ensure all equity is accounted for:
 
-- where we have used @/@@ notation to convert between commodities, add [equivalent equity postings](https://hledger.org/hledger.html#equity-conversion-postings)
+- wherever we have used [@/@@ notation](https://hledger.org/hledger.html#costs) to convert between commodities, 
+  add [equivalent equity postings](https://hledger.org/hledger.html#equity-conversion-postings)
 - and consolidate revenues and expenses into equity (AKA [retain earnings](https://hledger.org/hledger.html#close)).
 
-Combining all of these in the right sequence is tricky, so here's an example of fully migrating to a new file at the end of 2021/start of 2022.
+Combining these in the right sequence can be tricky, so here's an example of fully migrating to a new file at the end of 2021/start of 2022.
 `2021-closed.journal` and `2022-closed.journal` are the result of applying this procedure to the 2021 and 2022 journals.
-(They are given a different name here for clarity; normally you probably wouldn't change the name.)
+(They are named differently from the original journals for clarity here; normally you wouldn't change the name.)
 
-First ensure all equity changes are recorded:
+First, ensure all equity changes are recorded:
 
 ```cli
 $ hledger -f 2021.journal print --infer-equity          > 2021-closed.journal   # add explicit equity:conversion postings where needed
 $ hledger -f 2021-closed.journal close --retain -e 2022 >> 2021-closed.journal  # retain earnings (transfer RX to E)
 ```
 
-Next migrate asset/liability balances from old file to new file.
+Next, migrate asset/liability balances from old file to new file.
 (If you want to preserve equity balances too, add a [`type:ALE` argument](https://hledger.org/hledger.html#account-types).)
 Note how --open is done first and --close second; or you could --close first and `--open not:desc:closing` second:
 
@@ -37,19 +40,18 @@ $ hledger -f 2021-closed.journal close --open   -e 2022 >> 2022.journal
 $ hledger -f 2021-closed.journal close --close  -e 2022 >> 2021-closed.journal  # migrate balances (add closing txn to 2021.journal)
 ```
 
-Finally, add a tag like this (manually) to the closing and opening transactions to make them easier to exclude from reports:
+Finally, add a tag like this (manually for now) to the closing and opening transactions to make them easier to exclude from reports:
 
 ```journal
 2021-12-31 closing balances  ; start:2022
-...
 ```
 ```journal
 2022-01-01 opening balances  ; start:2022
-...
 ```
 
-Now we can confirm that the accounting equation was preserved in 2021 (Net: is 0).
-We must exclude the closing balances transaction to see the end balances:
+Now we can confirm that the accounting equation was preserved in 2021,
+by checking that the grand total of Assets, Liabilities, and Equity is zero.
+To see the end balances, we must exclude the closing balances transaction:
 
 ```cli
 $ hledger -f 2021-closed.journal bse not:tag:start=2022
@@ -80,7 +82,7 @@ Balance Sheet With Equity 2021-12-31
  Net:                            ||            0 
 ```
 
-We can check the accounting equation for 2022 too, after adding all equity changes:
+We can check this for 2022 too, if we add any missing equity changes with --infer-equity and --retain (temporarily):
 
 ```cli
 $ (hledger -f 2022.journal print --infer-equity; hledger -f 2022.journal close --retain) | hledger -f- bse 
@@ -111,7 +113,7 @@ Balance Sheet With Equity 2024-01-19
  Net:                     ||            0 
 ```
 
-We can see correct balance sheets from any range of files if we exclude all opening/closing transactions except the first:
+We can see correct balance sheets from any range of files, if we exclude all opening/closing transactions except the first:
 
 ```cli
 $ hledger bs -Y -f 2021-closed.journal -f 2022-closed.journal -f 2023.journal expr:'tag:start=2021 or not tag:start'
@@ -122,7 +124,7 @@ $ hledger bs -Y -f 2022-closed.journal                                        ex
 $ hledger bs -Y -f 2023.journal                                               # unclosed file, no query needed
 ```
 
-And we can see correct income statements from any range of files if we exclude retain earnings transactions:
+We can see correct income statements from any range of files, if we exclude retain earnings transactions:
 
 ```cli
 $ hledger is -Y -f 2021-closed.journal -f 2022-closed.journal -f 2023.journal not:desc:retain