diff --git a/parser/func.go b/parser/func.go
index 366e732..1ee5302 100644
--- a/parser/func.go
+++ b/parser/func.go
@@ -4,15 +4,6 @@ import "git.tebibyte.media/arf/arf/types"
 import "git.tebibyte.media/arf/arf/lexer"
 import "git.tebibyte.media/arf/arf/infoerr"
 
-// controlFlowNames contains a list of all command names that must have a block
-// underneath them.
-var controlFlowNames = []string {
-	"if", "else", "elseif",
-	"for", "while",
-	"switch",
-	"defer",
-}
-
 // parseFunc parses a function section.
 func (parser *ParsingOperation) parseFuncSection () (
 	section *FuncSection,
diff --git a/parser/phrase.go b/parser/phrase.go
index da0f8d5..66fb40d 100644
--- a/parser/phrase.go
+++ b/parser/phrase.go
@@ -72,6 +72,14 @@ var validDelimitedPhraseTokens = append (
 	lexer.TokenKindRBracket,
 	lexer.TokenKindReturnDirection)
 
+// controlFlowNames contains a list of all command names that must have a block
+// underneath them.
+var controlFlowNames = []string {
+	"if", "else", "elseif",
+	"for", "while",
+	"defer",
+}
+
 // parseBlock parses an indented block of phrases
 func (parser *ParsingOperation) parseBlock (
 	indent int,
@@ -205,6 +213,23 @@ func (parser *ParsingOperation) parseBlockLevelPhrase (
 	err = parser.nextToken()
 	if err != nil { return }
 
+	// if this is a control flow statement, parse 
+	if phrase.command.kind != ArgumentKindIdentifier { return }
+	command := phrase.command.value.(Identifier)
+	if len(command.trail) != 1 { return }
+
+	isControlFlow := false
+	for _, name := range controlFlowNames {
+		if command.trail[0] == name {
+			isControlFlow = true
+			break
+		}
+	}
+
+	if isControlFlow {
+		phrase.block, err = parser.parseBlock(indent + 1)
+	}
+
 	return
 }
 
diff --git a/parser/tree-tostring.go b/parser/tree-tostring.go
index 5353ec6..393320e 100644
--- a/parser/tree-tostring.go
+++ b/parser/tree-tostring.go
@@ -154,30 +154,6 @@ func (values ArrayInitializationValues) ToString (
 	return
 }
 
-func (phrase Phrase) ToString (indent int, ownLine bool) (output string) {
-	if ownLine {
-		output += doIndent(indent)
-	}
-	
-	output += "[" + phrase.command.ToString(0, false)
-	for _, argument := range phrase.arguments {
-		output += " " + argument.ToString(0, false)
-	}
-	output += "]"
-
-	if len(phrase.returnsTo) > 0 {
-		output += " ->"
-		for _, returnItem := range phrase.returnsTo {
-			output += " " + returnItem.ToString(0, false)
-		}
-	}
-
-	if ownLine {
-		output += "\n"
-	}
-	return
-}
-
 func (argument *Argument) ToString (indent int, breakLine bool) (output string) {
 	if !breakLine { indent = 0 }
 	if argument.kind == ArgumentKindNil {
@@ -446,6 +422,31 @@ func (behavior *FaceBehavior) ToString (indent int) (output string) {
 	return
 }
 
+func (phrase Phrase) ToString (indent int, ownLine bool) (output string) {
+	if ownLine {
+		output += doIndent(indent)
+	}
+	
+	output += "[" + phrase.command.ToString(0, false)
+	for _, argument := range phrase.arguments {
+		output += " " + argument.ToString(0, false)
+	}
+	output += "]"
+
+	if len(phrase.returnsTo) > 0 {
+		output += " ->"
+		for _, returnItem := range phrase.returnsTo {
+			output += " " + returnItem.ToString(0, false)
+		}
+	}
+
+	if ownLine {
+		output += "\n"
+		output += phrase.block.ToString(indent + 1)
+	}
+	return
+}
+
 func (block Block) ToString (indent int) (output string) {
 	for _, phrase := range block {
 		output += phrase.ToString(indent, true)
diff --git a/parser/tree.go b/parser/tree.go
index 3a2117d..4c25f8d 100644
--- a/parser/tree.go
+++ b/parser/tree.go
@@ -79,15 +79,6 @@ type ArrayInitializationValues struct {
 	values   []Argument
 }
 
-// Phrase represents a function call or operator. In ARF they are the same
-// syntactical concept.
-type Phrase struct {
-	location  file.Location
-	command   Argument
-	arguments []Argument
-	returnsTo []Argument
-}
-
 // ArgumentKind specifies the type of thing the value of an argument should be
 // cast to.
 type ArgumentKind int
@@ -232,9 +223,19 @@ type FaceSection struct {
 	behaviors  map[string] FaceBehavior
 }
 
+// Phrase represents a function call or operator. In ARF they are the same
+// syntactical concept.
+type Phrase struct {
+	location  file.Location
+	command   Argument
+	arguments []Argument
+	returnsTo []Argument
+
+	// only applicable for 
+	block Block
+}
+
 // Block represents a scoped/indented block of code.
-// TODO: blocks will not directly nest. nested blocks will be stored as a part
-// of certain control flow statements.
 type Block []Phrase
 
 // FuncOutput represents an input a function section. It is unlike an input in