diff --git a/documentation/dev-manual/dev-manual-common-tasks.xml b/documentation/dev-manual/dev-manual-common-tasks.xml
index 792568cd25..2d4282e1ce 100644
--- a/documentation/dev-manual/dev-manual-common-tasks.xml
+++ b/documentation/dev-manual/dev-manual-common-tasks.xml
@@ -3776,9 +3776,9 @@
 
         <para>
             To build from software that comes from an external source, all you
-            need to do is change your recipe so that it inherits
+            need to do is inherit
             <ulink url='&YOCTO_DOCS_REF_URL;#ref-classes-externalsrc'><filename>externalsrc.bbclass</filename></ulink>
-            and then sets the
+            and then set the
             <ulink url='&YOCTO_DOCS_REF_URL;#var-EXTERNALSRC'><filename>EXTERNALSRC</filename></ulink>
             variable to point to your external source code.
             Here are the statements to put in your
diff --git a/documentation/ref-manual/ref-variables.xml b/documentation/ref-manual/ref-variables.xml
index e95a08e5b1..240201068d 100644
--- a/documentation/ref-manual/ref-variables.xml
+++ b/documentation/ref-manual/ref-variables.xml
@@ -94,19 +94,22 @@
         <glossentry id='var-B'><glossterm>B</glossterm>
             <glossdef>
                 <para>
-                    The <ulink url='&YOCTO_DOCS_DEV_URL;#build-directory'>Build Directory</ulink>.
-                    The OpenEmbedded build system places generated objects into the Build Directory
-                    during a recipe's build process.
+                    The directory within the
+                    <ulink url='&YOCTO_DOCS_DEV_URL;#build-directory'>Build Directory</ulink>
+                    in which the OpenEmbedded build system places generated
+                    objects during a recipe's build process.
                     By default, this directory is the same as the <link linkend='var-S'><filename>S</filename></link>
                     directory:
                     <literallayout class='monospaced'>
      B = "${WORKDIR}/${BPN}/{PV}/"
                     </literallayout>
-                    You can separate the (<filename>S</filename>) directory and the directory pointed to
-                    by the <filename>B</filename> variable.
-                    Most Autotools-based recipes support separating these directories.
-                    The build system defaults to using separate directories for <filename>gcc</filename>
-                    and some kernel recipes.
+                    You can separate the (<filename>S</filename>) directory
+                    and the directory pointed to by the <filename>B</filename>
+                    variable.
+                    Most Autotools-based recipes support separating these
+                    directories.
+                    The build system defaults to using separate directories for
+                    <filename>gcc</filename> and some kernel recipes.
                 </para>
             </glossdef>
         </glossentry>
@@ -1082,9 +1085,8 @@ Core layer for images cannot be removed
         <glossentry id='var-EXTERNALSRC'><glossterm>EXTERNALSRC</glossterm>
             <glossdef>
                 <para>
-                    When a recipe inherits
-                    <filename>externalsrc.bbclass</filename>, this
-                    variable points to the source tree, which is
+                    If <filename>externalsrc.bbclass</filename> is inherited,
+                    this variable points to the source tree, which is
                     outside of the OpenEmbedded build system.
                     When set, this variable sets the
                     <link linkend='var-S'><filename>S</filename></link>
@@ -1108,9 +1110,8 @@ Core layer for images cannot be removed
         <glossentry id='var-EXTERNALSRC_BUILD'><glossterm>EXTERNALSRC_BUILD</glossterm>
             <glossdef>
                 <para>
-                    When a recipe inherits
-                    <filename>externalsrc.bbclass</filename>, this
-                    variable points to the directory in which the recipe's
+                    If <filename>externalsrc.bbclass</filename> is inherited,
+                    this variable points to the directory in which the recipe's
                     source code is built,
                     which is outside of the OpenEmbedded build system.
                     When set, this variable sets the