diff --git a/src/modal.c b/src/modal.c
index d7a2880..7cf6066 100644
--- a/src/modal.c
+++ b/src/modal.c
@@ -30,43 +30,6 @@ walk(char *s)
 	return s;
 }
 
-static int
-bind(int id, char *b)
-{
-	if(regs[id]) {
-		char *a = regs[id], *aa = walk(a), *bb = walk(b);
-		while(a < aa && b < bb)
-			if(*a++ != *b++) return 0;
-	} else if(id == ':') {
-		char *bb = walk(b);
-		if(*b == '(') b++, --bb;
-		while(b < bb) putc(*(b++), stdout);
-	} else
-		regs[id] = b;
-	return 1;
-}
-
-static char *
-match(char *p, Rule *r)
-{
-	int i;
-	char c, *a = r->a, *b = p;
-	for(i = 0x21; i < 0x7f; i++)
-		if((char)i != ':')
-			regs[i] = 0;
-	while((c = *a)) {
-		if(c == '?') {
-			if(!bind(*(++a), b)) return NULL;
-			a++, b = walk(b);
-			continue;
-		}
-		if(*a != *b) return NULL;
-		a++, b++;
-	}
-	c = *b;
-	return spacer(c) ? b : NULL;
-}
-
 static char *
 plode(char *s)
 {
@@ -93,7 +56,23 @@ plode(char *s)
 }
 
 static int
-commit(char r)
+bind_reg(int r, char *b)
+{
+	if(regs[r]) {
+		char *a = regs[r], *aa = walk(a), *bb = walk(b);
+		while(a < aa && b < bb)
+			if(*a++ != *b++) return 0;
+	} else if(r == ':') {
+		char *bb = walk(b);
+		if(*b == '(') b++, --bb;
+		while(b < bb) putc(*(b++), stdout);
+	} else
+		regs[r] = b;
+	return 1;
+}
+
+static int
+write_reg(char r)
 {
 	char *s = regs[(int)r];
 	if(r == '*')
@@ -107,8 +86,29 @@ commit(char r)
 	return 1;
 }
 
+static char *
+match_rule(char *p, Rule *r)
+{
+	int i;
+	char c, *a = r->a, *b = p;
+	for(i = 0x21; i < 0x7f; i++)
+		if((char)i != ':')
+			regs[i] = 0;
+	while((c = *a)) {
+		if(c == '?') {
+			if(!bind_reg(*(++a), b)) return NULL;
+			a++, b = walk(b);
+			continue;
+		}
+		if(*a != *b) return NULL;
+		a++, b++;
+	}
+	c = *b;
+	return spacer(c) ? b : NULL;
+}
+
 static int
-save(int rule, char *s)
+commit_rule(int rule, char *s)
 {
 	while((*outp_++ = *s++))
 		;
@@ -133,6 +133,19 @@ parse_rule(char *s)
 	return d;
 }
 
+static int
+add_rule(char *p)
+{
+	char c;
+	Rule *r = &rules[rules_len++];
+	p += 2;
+	while((c = *p) && c <= ' ') p++;
+	r->a = parse_rule(p), p = walk(p);
+	while((c = *p) && c <= ' ') p++;
+	r->b = parse_rule(p), p = walk(p);
+	return commit_rule(-1, p);
+}
+
 static int
 rewrite(void)
 {
@@ -140,30 +153,22 @@ rewrite(void)
 	while((c = *p) && c <= ' ') p++;
 	while((c = *p)) {
 		int i;
-		if(p[0] == '<' && p[1] == '>') {
-			Rule *r = &rules[rules_len++];
-			p += 2;
-			while((c = *p) && c <= ' ') p++;
-			r->a = parse_rule(p), p = walk(p);
-			while((c = *p) && c <= ' ') p++;
-			r->b = parse_rule(p), p = walk(p);
-			return save(-1, p);
-		}
+		if(p[0] == '<' && p[1] == '>') return add_rule(p);
 		if(p != o) c_ = *(p - 1);
 		if(p == o || spacer(c_)) {
 			for(i = 0; i < rules_len; i++) {
 				Rule *r = &rules[i];
-				char *res = match(p, r);
+				char *res = match_rule(p, r);
 				if(res != NULL) {
 					char cc, *b = r->b;
 					if(!*b && last == ' ') outp_--;
 					while((cc = *b++)) {
 						if(cc == '?')
-							commit(*b++);
+							write_reg(*b++);
 						else
 							*outp_++ = cc;
 					}
-					return save(i, res);
+					return commit_rule(i, res);
 				}
 			}
 		}