diff --git a/src/lib/src/parsing/parse-blocks.ts b/src/lib/src/parsing/parse-blocks.ts
index efe2423..8a643c9 100644
--- a/src/lib/src/parsing/parse-blocks.ts
+++ b/src/lib/src/parsing/parse-blocks.ts
@@ -8,7 +8,13 @@ import { parseNP } from "./parse-np";
 import { parsePastPart } from "./parse-past-part";
 import { parsePH } from "./parse-ph";
 import { parseVerb } from "./parse-verb";
-import { bindParseResult, returnParseResult } from "./utils";
+import {
+  bindParseResult,
+  returnParseResult,
+  isParsedVBE,
+  isParsedVBP,
+  startsVerbSection,
+} from "./utils";
 
 export function parseBlocks(
   tokens: Readonly<T.Token[]>,
@@ -22,19 +28,13 @@ export function parseBlocks(
   if (tokens.length === 0) {
     return returnParseResult(tokens, { blocks, kids });
   }
-  const inPreVerbSection = blocks.every(
-    (b) =>
-      b.type !== "PH" &&
-      b.type !== "VB" &&
-      b.type !== "welded" &&
-      b.type !== "negative"
-  );
+  const inVerbSection = blocks.some(startsVerbSection);
   const prevPh: T.ParsedPH | undefined = blocks.find(
     (b): b is T.ParsedPH => b.type === "PH"
   );
 
   const allBlocks: T.ParseResult<T.ParsedBlock | T.ParsedKidsSection>[] = [
-    ...(inPreVerbSection
+    ...(!inVerbSection
       ? [...parseAP(tokens, lookup), ...parseNP(tokens, lookup)]
       : []),
     // ensure at most one of each PH, VBE, VBP
@@ -108,17 +108,3 @@ function getPhFromVerb(v: T.VerbEntry, base: "root" | "stem"): string {
   }
   return "و";
 }
-
-function isParsedVBP(b: T.ParsedBlock): boolean {
-  return (
-    (b.type === "VB" || b.type === "welded") &&
-    (b.info.type === "ability" || b.info.type === "ppart")
-  );
-}
-
-function isParsedVBE(b: T.ParsedBlock): boolean {
-  return (
-    (b.type === "VB" || b.type === "welded") &&
-    (b.info.type === "verb" || b.info.type === "equative")
-  );
-}
diff --git a/src/lib/src/parsing/parse-phrase.ts b/src/lib/src/parsing/parse-phrase.ts
index 36b7489..1266572 100644
--- a/src/lib/src/parsing/parse-phrase.ts
+++ b/src/lib/src/parsing/parse-phrase.ts
@@ -22,9 +22,7 @@ export function parsePhrase(s: T.Token[]): {
     ...parseVP(s, lookup),
   ];
 
-  console.log({ res });
   const success = res.filter((x) => !x.tokens.length).map((x) => x.body);
-  console.log({ success });
   return {
     success,
     errors: [
diff --git a/src/lib/src/parsing/parse-vp.ts b/src/lib/src/parsing/parse-vp.ts
index 41bc64c..9358891 100644
--- a/src/lib/src/parsing/parse-vp.ts
+++ b/src/lib/src/parsing/parse-vp.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,14 @@
 import * as T from "../../../types";
-import { bindParseResult, returnParseResult } from "./utils";
+import {
+  bindParseResult,
+  isNeg,
+  isNonOoPh,
+  isPH,
+  isParsedVBE,
+  isParsedVBP,
+  returnParseResult,
+  startsVerbSection,
+} from "./utils";
 import {
   makeObjectSelectionComplete,
   makeSubjectSelectionComplete,
@@ -14,7 +23,7 @@ import { makePronounSelection } from "../phrase-building/make-selections";
 import { isFirstOrSecondPersPronoun } from "../phrase-building/render-vp";
 import { LookupFunction } from "./lookup";
 import { personToGenNum } from "../misc-helpers";
-import { equals } from "rambda";
+import { equals, zip } from "rambda";
 // to hide equatives type-doubling issue
 
 // TODO: word query for kawul/kedul/stat/dyn
@@ -80,20 +89,13 @@ function getTenses(
   const negative = negIndex !== -1;
   const phIndex = blocks.findIndex((x) => x.type === "PH");
   const vbeIndex = blocks.findIndex((x) => x.type === "VB");
+  const verbSection = blocks.findIndex(startsVerbSection);
   const ph = phIndex !== -1 ? (blocks[phIndex] as T.ParsedPH) : undefined;
   const verb = vbeIndex !== -1 ? (blocks[vbeIndex] as T.ParsedVBE) : undefined;
   if (!verb || verb.type !== "VB") {
     return [];
   }
-  if (
-    !negativeInPlace({
-      neg: negIndex,
-      v: vbeIndex,
-      phIndex: phIndex,
-      ph,
-      kids: hasKids,
-    })
-  ) {
+  if (!verbSectionOK(blocks.slice(verbSection))) {
     return [];
   }
   if (verb.info.type === "verb") {
@@ -895,41 +897,25 @@ function getTenseFromRootsStems(
   }
 }
 
-// possible neg setups
-// NEG VBE
-// PH NEG VBE
-// NEG (Non-و PH) VBE
-
-// (PH) NEG VBE VBP
-// (PH) VBP NEG VBE
-// (with non-و negative things?)
-
-function negativeInPlace({
-  neg,
-  v,
-  phIndex,
-  ph,
-  kids,
-}: {
-  neg: number;
-  v: number;
-  phIndex: number;
-  ph: T.ParsedPH | undefined;
-  kids: boolean;
-}): boolean {
-  if (neg === -1) {
-    return true;
-  }
-  if (ph) {
-    if (!kids && !["و", "وا"].includes(ph.s) && neg === phIndex - 1) {
-      return true;
-    }
-    return neg === phIndex + 1;
-  }
-  if (neg < v - 1) {
-    return false;
-  }
-  return true;
+function verbSectionOK(blocks: T.ParsedBlock[]): boolean {
+  const possibilites = [
+    [isParsedVBE],
+    [isNeg, isParsedVBE],
+    [isPH, isParsedVBE],
+    [isPH, isNeg, isParsedVBE],
+    [isNeg, isNonOoPh, isParsedVBE],
+    [isParsedVBP, isParsedVBE],
+    [isNeg, isParsedVBE, isParsedVBP],
+    [isParsedVBP, isNeg, isParsedVBE],
+    // could be more clever with optional isPH here
+    [isPH, isParsedVBP, isParsedVBE],
+    [isPH, isNeg, isParsedVBE, isParsedVBP],
+    [isPH, isParsedVBP, isNeg, isParsedVBE],
+  ];
+  return possibilites.some(
+    (ps) =>
+      ps.length === blocks.length && zip(ps, blocks).every(([p, b]) => p(b))
+  );
 }
 
 function pronounConflictInBlocks(blocks: T.VPSBlockComplete[]): boolean {
diff --git a/src/lib/src/parsing/utils.ts b/src/lib/src/parsing/utils.ts
index bc63448..0af788c 100644
--- a/src/lib/src/parsing/utils.ts
+++ b/src/lib/src/parsing/utils.ts
@@ -133,3 +133,42 @@ export function getPeople(
     ? people.filter((p) => p > 5)
     : people;
 }
+
+export function isPH(b: T.ParsedBlock): b is T.ParsedPH {
+  return b.type === "PH";
+}
+
+export function isNeg(b: T.ParsedBlock): b is T.NegativeBlock {
+  return b.type === "negative";
+}
+
+export function isOoPh(b: T.ParsedBlock): b is T.ParsedPH {
+  return b.type === "PH" && ["و", "وا"].includes(b.s);
+}
+
+export function isNonOoPh(b: T.ParsedBlock): b is T.ParsedPH {
+  return b.type === "PH" && !["و", "وا"].includes(b.s);
+}
+
+export function isParsedVBP(b: T.ParsedBlock): b is T.ParsedVBP {
+  return (
+    (b.type === "VB" || b.type === "welded") &&
+    (b.info.type === "ability" || b.info.type === "ppart")
+  );
+}
+
+export function isParsedVBE(b: T.ParsedBlock): b is T.ParsedVBE {
+  return (
+    (b.type === "VB" || b.type === "welded") &&
+    (b.info.type === "verb" || b.info.type === "equative")
+  );
+}
+
+export function startsVerbSection(b: T.ParsedBlock): boolean {
+  return (
+    b.type === "PH" ||
+    b.type === "VB" ||
+    b.type === "welded" ||
+    b.type === "negative"
+  );
+}