diff --git a/src/main/sablecc/VOParser.scc b/src/main/sablecc/VOParser.scc
index a8a345fc9e60272164791882d9141b25b6488a85..e719f315f73c5cecd4bbaa187a0199d54dd11baa 100644
--- a/src/main/sablecc/VOParser.scc
+++ b/src/main/sablecc/VOParser.scc
@@ -9,27 +9,15 @@ Helpers
   letter = small_letter | capital_letter;
   digit = ['0' .. '9'];
 
-  underscore = '_';
-
   line_break = [10 + 13];
   layout_char = [[[[0 .. 32] - line_break] + [127..160]] + [[8206 .. 8207] + [8232 .. 8233]]];
-  white_space = line_break | layout_char+;
-
-  l_paren = '(';
-  r_paren = ')';
-
-  opt_white_space = layout_char*; // note: no newline (so as not to disturb counting); no comments
-  dot = '.';
-  comma = ',';
-
-  identifier_literal = (letter | underscore) (letter | underscore | digit | dot | comma)*;
 
 /*******************************************************************
  * Tokens                                                          *
  *******************************************************************/
 Tokens
-  l_par = l_paren;
-  r_par = r_paren;
+  l_par = '(';
+  r_par = ')';
 
   /* Boolean Operators */
   and = '&' | 0x2227 | 'and';
@@ -38,9 +26,9 @@ Tokens
   /* Sequential Operator*/
   sequential = ';';
 
-  identifier_literal = identifier_literal;
+  identifier_literal = (letter | '_') (letter | '_' | digit | '.' | ',')*;
 
-  white_space = white_space;
+  white_space = line_break | layout_char+;
 
 /*******************************************************************
  * Ignored Tokens                                                  *