CFG Normal Forms

CNF Form
Removal of Left Recursion
GNF Form

09-04-2023 1
 Normal Forms
• A grammar is said to be in a Normal Form when every
production of a grammar has specific form
• This makes it convenient to design algorithms for working
with CFGs

09-04-2023 2
 Normal Forms for CFG
• CNF, Chomsky Normal Form
• GNF, Greibach Normal Form

09-04-2023 3
 CNF, Chomsky Normal Form

• A grammar is said to be in Chomsky Normal form (i.e. CNF) if

every production rule of the grammar is of the form:
A->BC or A->a
• where A,B,C are in V and a is in T

09-04-2023 4
 Conversion to CNF

Step 1:Simplify the grammar G by eliminating null productions,

useless productions and unit productions

Step 2: Add to the solution, the productions which are already in

CNF

Step 3: For the productions, not in CNF:-

a) Replace the terminals by some variables
b) limit the number of variables on RHS to 2

09-04-2023 5
 CNF, Chomsky Normal Form-Example 1
• Consider a CFG with following productions:
S->aB|bA
A->a|aS|bAA
B->b|bS|aBB

09-04-2023 6
 CNF, Chomsky Normal Form-Example 1
• Consider a CFG with following productions:
S->aB|bA
A->a|aS|bAA
B->b|bS|aBB

Solution-
Introduce new non-terminals Ca and Cb and production
Ca->a and Cb->b , we get:-
S->CaB| CbA
A->a|CaS| CbAA
B->b| CbS| CaBB

09-04-2023 7
 CNF, Chomsky Normal Form-Example 1
S->CaB| CbA
A->a|CaS| CbAA
B->b| CbS| CaBB
Ca->a
Cb->b

Introduce D1 and D2 as two new non-terminals and productions

D1->AA and D2->BB

We get,
S->CaB| CbA
A->a|CaS| CbD1
B->b| CbS| CaD2
Ca->a
Cb->b
D1->AA
D2->BB
The grammar is in CNF
09-04-2023 8
 CNF, Chomsky Normal Form-Example 2
Consider a CFG with the following productions:
S->aSa|bSb|ab

09-04-2023 9
 CNF, Chomsky Normal Form-Example 2
Consider a CFG with the following productions:
S->aSa|bSb|ab

Introducing new non-terminals Ca and Cb, we get

S->CaSCa| CbSCb| CaCb
Ca->a
Cb->b

Introducing D1 and D2, we get

S->CaD1 | CbD2 | CaCb
Ca->a
Cb->b
D1->SCa
D2->SCb
The grammar is in CNF
09-04-2023 10
 CNF, Chomsky Normal Form-Example 3
Consider a CFG with the following productions:
S->aSb|aA|bB|a|b
A->aA|a
B->bB|b

09-04-2023 11
 CNF, Chomsky Normal Form-Example 3
Consider a CFG with the following productions:
S->aSb|aA|bB|a|b
A->aA|a
B->bB|b

09-04-2023 12
 CNF, Chomsky Normal Form-Example 3
Consider a CFG with the following productions:
S->aSb|aA|bB|a|b
A->aA|a
B->bB|b

Introducing new non-terminals Ca and Cb, we get

S->CaSCb| CaA| CbB|a|b
A->CaA|a
B->CbB|b
Ca->a
Cb->b

Introducing D1, we get

S->CaD1 | CaA| CbB|a|b
A->CaA|a
B->CbB|b
Ca->a
Cb->b
D1->SCb
The grammar is in CNF
09-04-2023 13
 Elimination of Left Recursion

• If a grammar contains a pair of productions of the form

A->Aα|β
• then the grammar is left recursive grammar
• Left recursive grammar , if used for specification of the
language then the top down parser may enter into the infinite
loop during the parsing process on some erroneous input.

09-04-2023 14
 Elimination of Left Recursion
Left recursion can be eliminated from the grammar by the
following rule-
G=(V,T,P,S)

For Production P:-

A->Aα1|Aα2|………|Aαm|β1|β2|………|βn
β does not start with A

Replace by P1-
A-> β1Z| β2Z|………|βn| β1| β2|………|βn Without Null
Approach
Z-> α1Z| α2Z|………|αmZ| α1| α2|………|αm
OR
A-> β1Z| β2Z|………|βnZ
Z-> α1Z| α2Z|………|αmZ|ε With Null Approach
09-04-2023 15
 Elimination of Left Recursion-Example 1
Consider the following grammar:
S->aBDh
B->Bb|c
D->EF
E->g|ε
F->f|ε

09-04-2023 16
 Elimination of Left Recursion-Example 1
Consider the following To eliminate the left recursion
grammar: from the grammar,
S->aBDh Replace this pair of production
B->Bb|c by:-
D->EF B->cZ
E->g|ε Z->bZ|ε
F->f|ε
Thus, Final grammar is :-
The grammar is left recursive S->aBDh
due to production B->cZ
B->Bb|c Z->bZ|ε
D->EF
E->g|ε
With Null Approach
09-04-2023 F->f|ε 17
 Elimination of Left Recursion-Example 2
Consider the following
grammar:
S->A
A->Ad|Ae|aB|aC
B->bBC|f
C->g

09-04-2023 18
 Elimination of Left Recursion-Example 2
Consider the following To eliminate the left recursion
grammar: from the grammar,
S->A Replace this pair of production
A->Ad|Ae|aB|aC by:-
B->bBC|f A->aBZ|aCZ
C->g Z->dZ|eZ|ε

The grammar is left recursive Thus, Final grammar is :-

due to production S->A
A->Ad|Ae|aB|aC A->aBZ|aCZ
Z->dZ|eZ|ε
B->bBC|f
C->g
With Null Approach
09-04-2023 19
 Elimination of Left Recursion-Example 3
Consider the following
grammar:
A->aBD|bDB|c
A->AB|AD
Remove left recursion

09-04-2023 20
 Elimination of Left Recursion-Example 3
Consider the following To eliminate the left recursion
grammar: from the grammar,
A->aBD|bDB|c Replace :-
A->AB|AD A->AB|AD
Remove left recursion By this pair of production by:-
A->aBDZ|bDBZ|cZ
Z->BZ|DZ|ε

With Null Approach

09-04-2023 21
 GNF

09-04-2023 22
 GNF, Greibach Normal Form

• A grammar is said to be in Greibach Normal form (i.e. GNF) if

every production rule of the grammar is of the form:
A->aα
• where A is the non terminal, a is the terminal and α is a string
of non-terminals(possibly empty)
• α belongs to V*

09-04-2023 23
 GNF, Greibach Normal Form

• Divide the production of Grammar G into left recursive and

non-left recursive production
• Then eliminate left recursion to get GNF

09-04-2023 24
 Conversion to GNF

Step 1:Simplify the grammar G by eliminating null productions,

useless productions and unit productions

Step 2: Add to the solution, the productions which are already in GNF

Step 3: For the productions, not in GNF:-

a) Use Substitution Rule
A->Bα
B->β1| β2|………|βn
then we can write A as
A->β1α | β2α |………|βnα

b) Remove left recursion , Use without epsilon approach

09-04-2023 25
 GNF, Greibach Normal Form-Example 1
Consider a CFG with the following productions, Convert to GNF:
S->aSa|bSb|ab For GNF-
A->aα
where A is the non terminal, a is
the terminal and α is a string of
non-terminals(possibly empty)

09-04-2023 26
 GNF, Greibach Normal Form-Example 1
Consider a CFG with the following productions, Convert to GNF :
S->aSa|bSb|ab For GNF-
A->aα
where A is the non terminal, a is
the terminal and α is a string of
Soln: non-terminals(possibly empty)

S->aSA|bSB|aB Simple Variable Usage

A->a
B->b
The grammar is in GNF

09-04-2023 27
 GNF, Greibach Normal Form-Example 2
• Consider a CFG with the following productions, Convert to GNF :
S->XY|XW
X->YZ|a
For GNF-
Z->c A->aα
Y->WZ|b where A is the non terminal, a is
W->d the terminal and α is a string of
non-terminals(possibly empty)

Use Substitution Rule

09-04-2023 28
 GNF, Greibach Normal Form-Example 2
• Consider a CFG with the following • Final productions are-
productions, Convert to GNF :
S->dZZY|bZY|aY|dZZW|bZW|aW
S->XY|XW
X->YZ|a X->dZZ|bZ|a
Z->c Y->dZ|b
Y->WZ|b W->d
W->d Z->c
• Substitute W value in Y production
Y->WZ|b, rewritten as-
Y->dZ|b
• Substitute Y value in X production
X->YZ|a, rewritten as-
X->dZZ|bZ|a
• Substitute X value in S production
S->XY|XW, rewritten as-
S->dZZY|bZY|aY|dZZW|bZW|aW

09-04-2023 29
 GNF, Greibach Normal Form-Example 3
Consider a CFG with the following
productions, Convert to GNF :
S->AA|0
A->SS|1

09-04-2023 30
 GNF, Greibach Normal Form-Example 3
Consider a CFG with the following
productions, Convert to GNF :
S->AA|0
A->SS|1

09-04-2023 31
 GNF, Greibach Normal Form-Example 3
Consider a CFG with the following Now substitute the Value of A in S
productions, Convert to GNF :
production
S->AA|0
A->SS|1 S->0SZA|1ZA|0SA|1A|0 GNF Form
A->0SZ|1Z|0S|1 GNF Form
Substitute first S in production of A Z->ASZ|AS
A->SS|1 Substitution Rule Substitution Rule
A->AAS|0S|1
So left recursion is there Now substitute the Value of A in Z
production
To eliminate Left recursion- S->0SZA|1ZA|0SA|1A|0 GNF Form
A->0SZ|1Z|0S|1 GNF Form A->0SZ|1Z|0S|1 GNF Form
Z->ASZ|AS
Z-> 0SZSZ|1ZSZ|0SSZ|1SZ
New Productions are: 0SZS|1ZS|0SS|1S GNF Form
S->AA|0 Removal of Recursion Substitution Rule
A->0SZ|1Z|0S|1 GNF Form
Z->ASZ|AS

09-04-2023 32
 GNF, Greibach Normal Form-Example 4
Convert the following grammar into GNF
E->E+T|T
T->T*F|F
F->(E)|a

09-04-2023 33
 GNF, Greibach Normal Form-Example 4
Convert the following grammar into GNF
E->E+T|T
T->T*F|F
F->(E)|a

Substitution Rule-
E->E+T|T*F|F or E->E+T|T*F|(E)|a
T->T*F|(E)|a
F->(E)|a

Step 1: Remove unit productions

E->T
T->F

After removal of unit productions, we get

E->E+T|T*F|(E)|a
T->T*F|(E)|a
F->(E)|a

09-04-2023 34
 GNF, Greibach Normal Form-Example 4
Step 2: Replace terminals of the productions which are not in GNF form by
variables
E->E+T|T*F|(E)|a
T->T*F|(E)|a
F->(E)|a

Introduce
A1->+
A2->*
A3->)

The resulting Productions are-

E->EA1T|TA2F|(EA3|a
T->TA2F|(EA3|a
F->(EA3|a
Now all F productions are in GNF form
09-04-2023 35
 GNF, Greibach Normal Form-Example 4
Step 3:Remove Left Recursion for T
E->EA1T|TA2F|(EA3|a
T->TA2F|(EA3|a
F->(EA3|a

Left Recursion Removal-for T

Replace T->TA2F|(EA3|a by
T->(EA3Z1|aZ1|(EA3|a
Z1->A2FZ1|A2F

Substituting, we get
A2->*

T->(EA3Z1|aZ1|(EA3|a
Z1->*FZ1|*F

So Productions are
E->EA1T|TA2F|(EA3|a
T->(EA3Z1|aZ1|(EA3|a
Z1->*FZ1|*F
F->(EA3|a

09-04-2023 36
 GNF, Greibach Normal Form-Example 4
Productions are
E->EA1T|TA2F|(EA3|a
T->(EA3Z1|aZ1|(EA3|a
Z1->*FZ1|*F
F->(EA3|a

For Production E->TA2F , Substitute the value of T

Replace E->TA2F by
E->(EA3Z1A2F|aZ1A2F|(EA3A2F|aA2F
so Replace E->EA1T|TA2F|(EA3|a by
E->EA1T|(EA3Z1A2F|aZ1A2F|(EA3A2F|aA2F|(EA3|a

Productions are
E->EA1T|(EA3Z1A2F|aZ1A2F|(EA3A2F|aA2F|(EA3|a
T->(EA3Z1|aZ1|(EA3|a
Z1->*FZ1|*F
F->(EA3|a
All productions of E are in GNF except E->EA1T

09-04-2023 37
Productions are
GNF, Greibach Normal Form-Example 4
E->EA1T|(EA3Z1A2F|aZ1A2F|(EA3A2F|aA2F|(EA3|a
T->(EA3Z1|aZ1|(EA3|a
Z1->*FZ1|*F
F->(EA3|a
All productions of E are in GNF except E->EA1T
Removing Left recursion for E->EA1T
Replace E->EA1T|(EA3Z1A2F|aZ1A2F|(EA3A2F|aA2F|(EA3|a by

E->(EA3Z1A2FZ2|aZ1A2FZ2|(EA3A2FZ2|aA2FZ2|(EA3Z2|aZ2|
(EA3Z1A2F|aZ1A2F|(EA3A2F|aA2F|(EA3|a|
Z2->A1TZ2| A1T
Substituting + for A1
Z2->+TZ2| +T

Resulting grammar is-

E->(EA3Z1A2FZ2|aZ1A2FZ2|(EA3A2FZ2|aA2FZ2|(EA3Z2|aZ2|
(EA3Z1A2F|aZ1A2F|(EA3A2F|aA2F|(EA3|a|
Z2->+TZ2| +T
T->(EA3Z1|aZ1|(EA3|a
Z1->*FZ1|*F
F->(EA3|a

09-04-2023 38