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Ambiguity

The document discusses ambiguity in context-free grammars. It defines ambiguity and provides examples of ambiguous grammars for expression parsing. There are several ways to deal with ambiguity, including rewriting the grammar or using parser generator declarations. Rewriting the grammar involves splitting it into multiple nonterminals based on operator precedence. Declarations allow specifying precedence and associativity to disambiguate an otherwise ambiguous grammar. The dangling else problem, where an else clause could apply to multiple if statements, is also discussed along with a grammar fix.

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Raghav Bhandari
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223 views9 pages

Ambiguity

The document discusses ambiguity in context-free grammars. It defines ambiguity and provides examples of ambiguous grammars for expression parsing. There are several ways to deal with ambiguity, including rewriting the grammar or using parser generator declarations. Rewriting the grammar involves splitting it into multiple nonterminals based on operator precedence. Declarations allow specifying precedence and associativity to disambiguate an otherwise ambiguous grammar. The dangling else problem, where an else clause could apply to multiple if statements, is also discussed along with a grammar fix.

Uploaded by

Raghav Bhandari
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Ambiguity

Defining
Rewriting:

Expression Grammars

IF-THEN-ELSE

the Dangling-ELSE problem

Declarations

Expression Grammars

precedence
associativity

precedence
Associativity

Readings: Sections 4.2, 4.3

Ambiguity = program
structure not uniquely defined
E E+E | E*E | (E) | id
String id * id + id has two parse trees:
E

E +

* E

id

id E

+ E

id

id

id

id

Ambiguity

A grammar is ambiguous if, for any string


it has more than one parse tree, or
there is more than one right-most derivation, or
there is more than one left-most derivation
(the three conditions are equivalent)

Ambiguity is BAD

Leaves meaning of some programs ill-defined

Dealing with Ambiguity

There are several ways to handle


ambiguity
We will discuss two of them:

rewriting the grammar


parser-generator declarations

Expression Grammars
(precedence)

Rewrite the grammar

use a different nonterminal for each precedence


level
start with the lowest precedence (MINUS)

E E - E | E / E | ( E ) | id

rewrite to
E E-E | T
T T/T | F
F id | ( E )

Example
parse tree for id id / id
E E-E | T
T T/T | F
F id | ( E )

E
-

E
T

T
F
id

/ T

id

id

Example: Preventing
Ambiguity

Question: can we construct parse tree


for id-id/id that shows the wrong
precedence?

Associativity

The grammar captures operator precedence,


but it is still ambiguous!

fails to express that both subtraction and division


are left associative;

e.g., 5-3-2 is equivalent to: ((5-3)-2) and not to: (5-(32))

Example: two parse trees for the expression


5-3-2 using the grammar given above; one
that correctly groups 5-3, and one that
incorrectly groups 3-2

Recursion

Grammar is recursive in nonterminal X if:

X + X

Grammar is left recursive in X if:

X + X

+ means in one or more steps, X derives a sequence


of symbols that includes an X

in one or more steps, X derives a sequence of symbols


that starts with an X

A grammar is right recursive in X if:

X + X

in one or more steps, X derives a sequence of symbols


that ends with an X

How to fix associativity

The grammar given above is both left and


right recursive in nonterminals exp and term

To correctly expresses operator associativity:

try this: write the derivation steps that show this


For left associativity, use left recursion
For right associativity, use right recursion

Here's the correct grammar:


E ET | T
T T/F | F
F id | ( E )

Ambiguity: The Dangling Else

Consider the grammar


E if E then E
| if E then E else E
| print

This grammar is also ambiguous

The Dangling Else: Example

The expression
if E1 then if E2 then E3 else E4
has two parse trees
if

E1

if
E4

if
E2

E1

E3

if
E2

E3

E4

Typically we want the second form

The Dangling Else: A Fix

else matches the closest unmatched then


We can describe this in the grammar
E MIF
| UIF

/* all then are matched */


/* some then are unmatched */

MIF if E then MIF else MIF


| print
UIF if E then E
| if E then MIF else UIF

Describes the same set of strings

The Dangling Else: Example


Revisited

The expression if E1 then if E2 then E3 else E4


if

if
if

E1
E2

E3

E1
E4

A valid parse tree


(for a UIF)

E4

if
E2

E3

Not valid because the


then expression is not
a MIF

Precedence and Associativity


Declarations

Instead of rewriting the grammar

Use the more natural (ambiguous) grammar


Along with disambiguating declarations

Most parser generators allow precedence and


associativity declarations to disambiguate
grammars
Examples

Associativity Declarations

Consider the grammar


E E - E | int
Ambiguous: two parse trees of int - int - int
E

E
int

int

int

int

int

E
int

Left associativity declaration: %left +

Precedence Declarations

Consider grammar E E + E | E * E | int

And the string int + int * int


E
E

E
int

+ E
int

E
E

int

int E

int

Precedence declarations: %left +


%left *

E
*

E
int

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