diff --git a/spacy/compat.py b/spacy/compat.py
index 1ca8a59fe..8d962976b 100644
--- a/spacy/compat.py
+++ b/spacy/compat.py
@@ -16,6 +16,10 @@ try:
 except ImportError:
     import copyreg as copy_reg
 
+try:
+    import Queue as queue
+except ImportError:
+    import queue
 
 is_python2 = six.PY2
 is_python3 = six.PY3
@@ -32,6 +36,7 @@ if is_python2:
     basestring_ = basestring
     input_ = raw_input
     json_dumps = lambda data: ujson.dumps(data, indent=2).decode('utf8')
+    intern = intern
 
 elif is_python3:
     bytes_ = bytes
@@ -39,6 +44,7 @@ elif is_python3:
     basestring_ = str
     input_ = input
     json_dumps = lambda data: ujson.dumps(data, indent=2)
+    intern = sys.intern
 
 
 def symlink_to(orig, dest):
diff --git a/spacy/pattern/__init__.py b/spacy/pattern/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..325ba04ea
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spacy/pattern/__init__.py
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+# coding: utf-8
+
+from .pattern import DependencyTree
+from .parser import PatternParser
diff --git a/spacy/pattern/parser.py b/spacy/pattern/parser.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..122d2b8f3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spacy/pattern/parser.py
@@ -0,0 +1,377 @@
+# coding: utf-8
+
+from spacy.compat import intern, queue
+from spacy.strings import hash_string
+from operator import itemgetter
+import re
+import json
+
+from .pattern import DependencyPattern
+
+TOKEN_INITIAL = intern('initial')
+
+
+class PatternParser(object):
+    """Compile a Pattern query into a :class:`Pattern`, that can be used to
+    match :class:`DependencyTree`s."""
+    whitespace_re = re.compile(r'\s+', re.U)
+    newline_re = re.compile(r'(\r\n|\r|\n)')
+    name_re = re.compile(r'\w+', re.U)
+
+    TOKEN_BLOCK_BEGIN = '['
+    TOKEN_BLOCK_END = ']'
+    EDGE_BLOCK_BEGIN = '>'
+    WHITESPACE = ' '
+
+    @classmethod
+    def parse(cls, query):
+        """Parse the given `query`, and compile it into a :class:`Pattern`."""
+        pattern = DependencyPattern()
+
+        for lineno, token_stream in enumerate(cls.tokenize(query)):
+            try:
+                cls._parse_line(token_stream, pattern, lineno+1)
+            except StopIteration:
+                raise SyntaxError("A token is missing, please check your "
+                                  "query.")
+
+        if not pattern.nodes:
+            return
+
+        cls.check_pattern(pattern)
+        return pattern
+
+    @staticmethod
+    def check_pattern(pattern):
+        if not pattern.is_connected():
+            raise ValueError("The pattern tree must be a fully connected "
+                             "graph.")
+
+        if pattern.root_node is None:
+            raise ValueError("The root node of the tree could not be found.")
+
+    @classmethod
+    def _parse_line(cls, stream, pattern, lineno):
+        while not stream.closed:
+            token = stream.current
+
+            if token.type == 'name':
+                next_token = stream.look()
+
+                if next_token.type == 'node':
+                    cls.parse_node_def(stream, pattern)
+
+                elif next_token.type == 'edge':
+                    cls.parse_edge_def(stream, pattern)
+
+                else:
+                    raise SyntaxError("line %d: A 'node' or 'edge' token must "
+                                      "follow a 'name' token." % lineno)
+
+            elif token.type == 'node':
+                next_token = stream.look()
+
+                if next_token.type == 'edge':
+                    cls.parse_edge_def(stream, pattern)
+                else:
+                    raise SyntaxError("line %d: an 'edge' token is "
+                                      "expected." % lineno)
+
+            if not stream.closed:
+                next(stream)
+
+    @classmethod
+    def parse_node_def(cls, stream, pattern):
+        name_token = stream.current
+        next(stream)
+        node_token = stream.current
+        cls.add_node(node_token, pattern, name_token)
+
+    @classmethod
+    def add_node(cls, node_token, pattern, name_token=None):
+        token_name = None
+        if name_token is not None:
+            token_id = name_token.value
+            token_name = name_token.value
+        else:
+            token_id = node_token.hash()
+
+        if token_id in pattern.nodes:
+            raise SyntaxError("Token with ID '{}' already registered.".format(
+                token_id))
+
+        token_attr = cls.parse_node_attributes(node_token.value)
+        token_attr['_name'] = token_name
+        pattern.add_node(token_id, token_attr)
+
+    @classmethod
+    def parse_edge_def(cls, stream, pattern):
+        token = stream.current
+
+        if token.type == 'name':
+            token_id = token.value
+            if token_id not in pattern.nodes:
+                raise SyntaxError("Token '{}' with ID '{}' is not "
+                                  "defined.".format(token, token_id))
+
+        elif token.type == 'node':
+            token_id = token.hash()
+            cls.add_node(token, pattern)
+
+        next(stream)
+        edge_attr = cls.parse_edge_attributes(stream.current.value)
+        next(stream)
+
+        head_token = stream.current
+        if head_token.type == 'name':
+            head_token_id = head_token.value
+            if head_token_id not in pattern.nodes:
+                raise SyntaxError("Token '{}' with ID '{}' is not "
+                                  "defined.".format(head_token, head_token_id))
+        elif head_token.type == 'node':
+            head_token_id = head_token.hash()
+            cls.add_node(head_token, pattern)
+        else:
+            raise SyntaxError("A 'node' or 'name' token was expected.")
+
+        # inverse the dependency to have an actual tree
+        pattern.add_edge(head_token_id, token_id, edge_attr)
+
+    @classmethod
+    def parse_node_attributes(cls, string):
+        string = string[1:]  # remove the trailing '['
+        end_delimiter_idx = string.find(']')
+
+        attr_str = string[:end_delimiter_idx]
+        attr = {}
+
+        try:
+            attr = json.loads(attr_str)
+        except json.JSONDecodeError:
+            for pair in attr_str.split(","):
+                key, value = pair.split(':')
+                attr[key] = value
+
+        for key, value in attr.items():
+            attr[key] = cls.compile_expression(value)
+
+        alias = string[end_delimiter_idx+2:]
+
+        if alias:
+            attr['_alias'] = alias
+
+        return attr
+
+    @classmethod
+    def parse_edge_attributes(cls, string):
+        string = string[1:]  # remove the trailing '>'
+
+        if not string:
+            return None
+
+        return cls.compile_expression(string)
+
+    @staticmethod
+    def compile_expression(expr):
+        if expr.startswith('/') and expr.endswith('/'):
+            string = expr[1:-1]
+            return re.compile(string, re.U)
+
+        return expr
+
+    @classmethod
+    def tokenize(cls, text):
+        lines = text.splitlines()
+
+        for lineno, line in enumerate(lines):
+            yield TokenStream(cls._tokenize_line(line, lineno+1))
+
+    @classmethod
+    def _tokenize_line(cls, line, lineno):
+        reader = Reader(line)
+
+        while reader.remaining():
+            char = reader.next()
+
+            if char == cls.TOKEN_BLOCK_BEGIN:
+                token = 'node'
+                idx = reader.find(cls.TOKEN_BLOCK_END)
+
+                if idx == -1:
+                    raise SyntaxError("A token block end ']' was expected.")
+
+                idx += 1
+                if len(reader) > idx and reader[idx] == '=':
+                    # The node has a name
+                    idx = reader.find(cls.WHITESPACE, start=idx)
+
+                    if idx == -1:
+                        idx = reader.remaining()
+
+            elif char == cls.EDGE_BLOCK_BEGIN:
+                token = 'edge'
+                idx = reader.find(cls.WHITESPACE)
+
+            elif cls.name_re.match(char):
+                token = 'name'
+                idx = reader.find(cls.WHITESPACE)
+
+                if idx == -1:
+                    whole_name_match = cls.name_re.match(str(reader))
+                    idx = whole_name_match.end()
+
+            elif cls.newline_re.match(char) or cls.whitespace_re.match(char):
+                # skip the whitespace
+                reader.consume()
+                continue
+
+            else:
+                raise SyntaxError("Unrecognized token BEGIN char: '{"
+                                  "}'".format(char))
+
+            if idx == -1:
+                raise SyntaxError("Ending character of token '{}' not "
+                                  "found.".format(token))
+            value = reader.consume(idx)
+
+            yield Token(lineno, token, value)
+
+
+class Reader(object):
+    """A class used by the :class:`PatternParser` to tokenize the `text`."""
+    __slots__ = ('text', 'pos')
+
+    def __init__(self, text):
+        self.text = text
+        self.pos = 0
+
+    def find(self, needle, start=0, end=None):
+        pos = self.pos
+        start += pos
+        if end is None:
+            index = self.text.find(needle, start)
+        else:
+            end += pos
+            index = self.text.find(needle, start, end)
+        if index != -1:
+            index -= pos
+        return index
+
+    def consume(self, count=1):
+        new_pos = self.pos + count
+        s = self.text[self.pos:new_pos]
+        self.pos = new_pos
+        return s
+
+    def next(self):
+        return self.text[self.pos:self.pos + 1]
+
+    def remaining(self):
+        return len(self.text) - self.pos
+
+    def __len__(self):
+        return self.remaining()
+
+    def __getitem__(self, key):
+        if key < 0:
+            return self.text[key]
+        else:
+            return self.text[self.pos + key]
+
+    def __str__(self):
+        return self.text[self.pos:]
+
+
+# The following classes were copied from Jinja2, a BSD-licensed project,
+# and slightly modified: Token, TokenStreamIterator, TokenStream.
+
+class Token(tuple):
+    """Token class."""
+    __slots__ = ()
+    lineno, type, value = (property(itemgetter(x)) for x in range(3))
+
+    def __new__(cls, lineno, type, value):
+        return tuple.__new__(cls, (lineno, intern(str(type)), value))
+
+    def hash(self):
+        string = self.value
+        return hash_string(string)
+
+    def __repr__(self):
+        return 'Token(%r, %r, %r)' % (
+            self.lineno,
+            self.type,
+            self.value)
+
+
+class TokenStreamIterator(object):
+    """The iterator for tokenstreams. Iterate over the stream until the
+    stream is empty.
+    """
+
+    def __init__(self, stream):
+        self.stream = stream
+
+    def __iter__(self):
+        return self
+
+    def __next__(self):
+        token = self.stream.current
+        try:
+            next(self.stream)
+        except StopIteration:
+            self.stream.close()
+            raise StopIteration()
+
+        return token
+
+
+class TokenStream(object):
+    """A token stream is an iterable that yields :class:`Token`s. The
+    current active token is stored as :attr:`current`.
+    """
+
+    def __init__(self, generator):
+        self._iter = iter(generator)
+        self._pushed = queue.deque()
+        self.closed = False
+        self.current = Token(1, TOKEN_INITIAL, '')
+        next(self)
+
+    def __iter__(self):
+        return TokenStreamIterator(self)
+
+    def __bool__(self):
+        return bool(self._pushed)
+    __nonzero__ = __bool__  # py2
+
+    def push(self, token):
+        """Push a token back to the stream."""
+        self._pushed.append(token)
+
+    def look(self):
+        """Look at the next token."""
+        old_token = next(self)
+        result = self.current
+        self.push(result)
+        self.current = old_token
+        return result
+
+    def __next__(self):
+        """Go one token ahead and return the old one."""
+        rv = self.current
+        if self._pushed:
+            self.current = self._pushed.popleft()
+        else:
+            if self.closed:
+                raise StopIteration("No token left.")
+            try:
+                self.current = next(self._iter)
+            except StopIteration:
+                self.close()
+        return rv
+
+    def close(self):
+        """Close the stream."""
+        self._iter = None
+        self.closed = True
diff --git a/spacy/pattern/pattern.py b/spacy/pattern/pattern.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..552283066
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spacy/pattern/pattern.py
@@ -0,0 +1,318 @@
+# coding: utf-8
+
+import logging
+from collections import defaultdict
+
+
+logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+
+
+class Tree(object):
+    def __init__(self):
+        self.adjacency = defaultdict(dict)
+        self.nodes = {}
+
+    def __getitem__(self, item):
+        return self.nodes[item]
+
+    def add_node(self, node, attr_dict=None):
+        attr_dict = attr_dict or {}
+        self.nodes[node] = attr_dict
+
+    def add_edge(self, u, v, dep=None):
+        if u not in self.nodes or v not in self.nodes:
+            raise ValueError("Each node must be defined before adding an edge.")
+
+        self.adjacency[u][v] = dep
+
+    def number_of_nodes(self):
+        return len(self)
+    
+    def __len__(self):
+        return len(self.nodes)
+
+    def number_of_edges(self):
+        return sum(len(adj_dict) for adj_dict in self.adjacency.values())
+
+    def edges_iter(self, origin=None, data=True):
+        nbunch = (self.adjacency.items() if origin is None
+                  else [(origin, self.adjacency[origin])])
+
+        for u, nodes in nbunch:
+            for v, dep in nodes.items():
+                if data:
+                    yield (u, v, dep)
+                else:
+                    yield (u, v)
+    
+    def nodes_iter(self):
+        for node in self.nodes.keys():
+            yield node
+
+    def is_connected(self):
+        if len(self) == 0:
+            raise ValueError('Connectivity is undefined for the null graph.')
+        return len(set(self._plain_bfs(next(self.nodes_iter()),
+                                       undirected=True))) == len(self)
+
+    def _plain_bfs(self, source, undirected=False):
+        """A fast BFS node generator.
+        :param: source: the source node
+        """
+        seen = set()
+        next_level = {source}
+        while next_level:
+            this_level = next_level
+            next_level = set()
+            for v in this_level:
+                if v not in seen:
+                    yield v
+                    seen.add(v)
+                    next_level.update(self.adjacency[v].keys())
+
+                    if undirected:
+                        for n, adj in self.adjacency.items():
+                            if v in adj.keys():
+                                next_level.add(n)
+
+
+class DependencyPattern(Tree):
+    @property
+    def root_node(self):
+        if self.number_of_nodes() == 1:
+            # if the graph has a single node, it is the root
+            return next(iter(self.nodes.keys()))
+
+        if not self.is_connected():
+            return None
+
+        in_node = set()
+        out_node = set()
+        for u, v in self.edges_iter(data=False):
+            in_node.add(v)
+            out_node.add(u)
+
+        try:
+            return list(out_node.difference(in_node))[0]
+        except IndexError:
+            return None
+
+
+class DependencyTree(Tree):
+    def __init__(self, doc):
+        super(DependencyTree, self).__init__()
+
+        for token in doc:
+            self.nodes[token.i] = token
+
+            if token.head.i != token.i:
+                # inverse the dependency to have an actual tree
+                self.adjacency[token.head.i][token.i] = token.dep_
+
+    def __getitem__(self, item):
+        return self.nodes[item]
+
+    def match_nodes(self, attr_dict, **kwargs):
+        results = []
+        for token_idx, token in self.nodes.items():
+            if match_token(token, attr_dict, **kwargs):
+                results.append(token_idx)
+
+        return results
+
+    def match(self, pattern):
+        """Return a list of matches between the given
+        :class:`DependencyPattern` and `self` if any, or None.
+
+        :param pattern: a :class:`DependencyPattern`
+        """
+        pattern_root_node = pattern.root_node
+        pattern_root_node_attr = pattern[pattern_root_node]
+        dep_root_nodes = self.match_nodes(pattern_root_node_attr)
+
+        if not dep_root_nodes:
+            logger.debug("No node matches the pattern root "
+                         "'{}'".format(pattern_root_node_attr))
+
+        matches = []
+        for candidate_root_node in dep_root_nodes:
+            match_list = subtree_in_graph(candidate_root_node, self,
+                                          pattern_root_node, pattern)
+            for mapping in match_list:
+                match = PatternMatch(mapping, pattern, self)
+                matches.append(match)
+
+        return matches
+
+
+class PatternMatch(object):
+    def __init__(self, mapping, pattern, tree):
+        for pattern_node_id, tree_node_id in mapping.items():
+            mapping[pattern_node_id] = tree[tree_node_id]
+        self.mapping = mapping
+        self.pattern = pattern
+        self.tree = tree
+
+        self.alias_map = {}
+        for pattern_node_id in self.mapping:
+            pattern_node = self.pattern[pattern_node_id]
+
+            alias = pattern_node.get('_alias')
+            if alias:
+                self.alias_map[alias] = self.mapping[pattern_node_id]
+
+    def __repr__(self):
+        return "<Pattern Match: {} node>".format(len(self.mapping))
+
+    def __getitem__(self, item):
+        return self.alias_map[item]
+
+
+def subtree_in_graph(dep_tree_node, dep_tree, pattern_node, pattern):
+    """Return a list of matches of `pattern` as a subtree of `dep_tree`.
+    :param dep_tree_node: the token (identified by its index) to start from
+                          (int)
+    :param dep_tree: a :class:`DependencyTree`
+    :param pattern_node: the pattern node to start from
+    :param pattern: a :class:`DependencyPattern`
+    :return: found matches (list)
+    """
+    results = []
+    association_dict = {pattern_node: dep_tree_node}
+    _subtree_in_graph(dep_tree_node, dep_tree, pattern_node,
+                      pattern, results=results,
+                      association_dict=association_dict)
+    results = results or []
+    return results
+
+
+def _subtree_in_graph(dep_tree_node, dep_tree, pattern_node, pattern,
+                      association_dict=None, results=None):
+    token = dep_tree[dep_tree_node]
+    logger.debug("Starting from token '{}'".format(token.orth_))
+
+    adjacent_edges = list(pattern.edges_iter(origin=pattern_node))
+    if adjacent_edges:
+        for (_, adjacent_pattern_node,
+             dep) in adjacent_edges:
+            adjacent_pattern_node_attr = pattern[adjacent_pattern_node]
+            logger.debug("Exploring relation {} -[{}]-> {} from "
+                         "pattern".format(pattern[pattern_node],
+                                          dep,
+                                          adjacent_pattern_node_attr))
+
+            adjacent_nodes = find_adjacent_nodes(dep_tree,
+                                                 dep_tree_node,
+                                                 dep,
+                                                 adjacent_pattern_node_attr)
+
+            if not adjacent_nodes:
+                logger.debug("No adjacent nodes in dep_tree satisfying these "
+                             "conditions.")
+                return None
+
+            for adjacent_node in adjacent_nodes:
+                logger.debug("Found adjacent node '{}' in "
+                             "dep_tree".format(dep_tree[adjacent_node].orth_))
+                association_dict[adjacent_pattern_node] = adjacent_node
+                recursive_return = _subtree_in_graph(adjacent_node,
+                                                     dep_tree,
+                                                     adjacent_pattern_node,
+                                                     pattern,
+                                                     association_dict,
+                                                     results=results)
+
+                if recursive_return is None:
+                    # No Match
+                    return None
+
+                association_dict, results = recursive_return
+
+    else:
+        if len(association_dict) == pattern.number_of_nodes():
+            logger.debug("Add to results: {}".format(association_dict))
+            results.append(dict(association_dict))
+
+        else:
+            logger.debug("{} nodes in subgraph, only {} "
+                         "mapped".format(pattern.number_of_nodes(),
+                                         len(association_dict)))
+
+    logger.debug("Return intermediate: {}".format(association_dict))
+    return association_dict, results
+
+
+def find_adjacent_nodes(dep_tree, node, target_dep, node_attributes):
+    """Find nodes adjacent to ``node`` that fulfill specified attributes
+    values on edge and node.
+
+    :param dep_tree: a :class:`DependencyTree`
+    :param node: initial node to search from
+    :param target_dep: edge attributes that must be fulfilled (pair-value)
+     :type target_dep: dict
+    :param node_attributes: node attributes that must be fulfilled (pair-value)
+    :type node_attributes: dict
+    :return: adjacent nodes that fulfill the given criteria (list)
+    """
+    results = []
+    for _, adj_node, adj_dep in dep_tree.edges_iter(origin=node):
+        adj_token = dep_tree[adj_node]
+        if (match_edge(adj_dep, target_dep)
+                and match_token(adj_token, node_attributes)):
+            results.append(adj_node)
+
+    return results
+
+
+def match_edge(token_dep, target_dep):
+    if target_dep is None:
+        return True
+
+    if hasattr(target_dep, 'match'):
+        return target_dep.match(token_dep) is not None
+
+    if token_dep == target_dep:
+        return True
+
+    return False
+
+
+def match_token(token,
+                target_attributes,
+                ignore_special_key=True,
+                lower=True):
+    bind_map = {
+        'word': lambda t: t.orth_,
+        'lemma': lambda t: t.lemma_,
+        'ent': lambda t: t.ent_type_,
+    }
+
+    for target_key, target_value in target_attributes.items():
+        is_special_key = target_key[0] == '_'
+
+        if ignore_special_key and is_special_key:
+            continue
+
+        if lower and hasattr(target_value, 'lower'):
+            target_value = target_value.lower()
+
+        if target_key in bind_map:
+            token_attr = bind_map[target_key](token)
+
+            if lower:
+                token_attr = token_attr.lower()
+
+            if hasattr(target_value, 'match'):  # if it is a compiled regex
+                if target_value.match(token_attr) is None:
+                    break
+            else:
+                if not token_attr == target_value:
+                    break
+
+        else:
+            raise ValueError("Unknown key: '{}'".format(target_key))
+
+    else:  # the loop was not broken
+        return True
+
+    return False
diff --git a/spacy/tests/pattern/__init__.py b/spacy/tests/pattern/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..57d631c3f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spacy/tests/pattern/__init__.py
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+# coding: utf-8
diff --git a/spacy/tests/pattern/parser.py b/spacy/tests/pattern/parser.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..50dd3ac60
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spacy/tests/pattern/parser.py
@@ -0,0 +1,76 @@
+# coding: utf-8
+
+
+import re
+from ...pattern.parser import PatternParser
+
+
+class TestPatternParser:
+    def test_empty_query(self):
+        assert PatternParser.parse('') is None
+        assert PatternParser.parse('      ') is None
+
+    def test_define_node(self):
+        query = "fox [lemma:fox,word:fox]=alias"
+        pattern = PatternParser.parse(query)
+
+        assert pattern is not None
+        assert pattern.number_of_nodes() == 1
+        assert pattern.number_of_edges() == 0
+
+        assert 'fox' in pattern.nodes
+
+        attrs = pattern['fox']
+        assert attrs.get('lemma') == 'fox'
+        assert attrs.get('word') == 'fox'
+        assert attrs.get('_name') == 'fox'
+        assert attrs.get('_alias') == 'alias'
+
+        for adj_list in pattern.adjacency.values():
+            assert not adj_list
+
+    def test_define_node_with_regex(self):
+        query = "fox [lemma:/fo.*/]"
+        pattern = PatternParser.parse(query)
+
+        attrs = pattern['fox']
+        assert attrs.get('lemma') == re.compile(r'fo.*', re.U)
+
+    def test_define_edge(self):
+        query = "[word:quick] >amod [word:fox]"
+        pattern = PatternParser.parse(query)
+
+        assert pattern is not None
+        assert pattern.number_of_nodes() == 2
+        assert pattern.number_of_edges() == 1
+
+        quick_id = [node_id for node_id, node_attr in pattern.nodes.items()
+                    if node_attr['word'] == 'quick'][0]
+
+        fox_id = [node_id for node_id, node_attr in pattern.nodes.items()
+                  if node_attr['word'] == 'fox'][0]
+
+        quick_map = pattern.adjacency[quick_id]
+        fox_map = pattern.adjacency[fox_id]
+
+        assert len(quick_map) == 0
+        assert len(fox_map) == 1
+
+        dep = fox_map[quick_id]
+
+        assert dep == 'amod'
+
+    def test_define_edge_with_regex(self):
+        query = "[word:quick] >/amod|nsubj/ [word:fox]"
+        pattern = PatternParser.parse(query)
+
+        quick_id = [node_id for node_id, node_attr in pattern.nodes.items()
+                    if node_attr['word'] == 'quick'][0]
+
+        fox_id = [node_id for node_id, node_attr in pattern.nodes.items()
+                  if node_attr['word'] == 'fox'][0]
+
+        fox_map = pattern.adjacency[fox_id]
+        dep = fox_map[quick_id]
+
+        assert dep == re.compile(r'amod|nsubj', re.U)
diff --git a/spacy/tests/pattern/pattern.py b/spacy/tests/pattern/pattern.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..a476f92f7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spacy/tests/pattern/pattern.py
@@ -0,0 +1,61 @@
+# coding: utf-8
+
+from ..util import get_doc
+from ...pattern.pattern import Tree, DependencyTree
+from ...pattern.parser import PatternParser
+
+import pytest
+
+import logging
+logger = logging.getLogger()
+logger.addHandler(logging.StreamHandler())
+logger.setLevel(logging.DEBUG)
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def doc(en_vocab):
+    words = ['I', "'m", 'going', 'to', 'the', 'zoo', 'next', 'week', '.']
+    doc = get_doc(en_vocab,
+                  words=words,
+                  deps=['nsubj', 'aux', 'ROOT', 'prep', 'det', 'pobj',
+                        'amod', 'npadvmod', 'punct'],
+                  heads=[2, 1, 0, -1, 1, -2, 1, -5, -6])
+    return doc
+
+
+class TestTree:
+    def test_is_connected(self):
+        tree = Tree()
+        tree.add_node(1)
+        tree.add_node(2)
+        tree.add_edge(1, 2)
+
+        assert tree.is_connected()
+
+        tree.add_node(3)
+        assert not tree.is_connected()
+
+
+class TestDependencyTree:
+    def test_from_doc(self, doc):
+        dep_tree = DependencyTree(doc)
+
+        assert len(dep_tree) == len(doc)
+        assert dep_tree.is_connected()
+        assert dep_tree.number_of_edges() == len(doc) - 1
+
+    def test_simple_matching(self, doc):
+        dep_tree = DependencyTree(doc)
+        pattern = PatternParser.parse("""root [word:going]
+                                         to [word:to]
+                                         [word:week]=date > root
+                                         [word:/zoo|park/]=place >pobj to
+                                         to >prep root
+                                         """)
+        assert pattern is not None
+        matches = dep_tree.match(pattern)
+        assert len(matches) == 1
+
+        match = matches[0]
+        assert match['place'] == doc[5]
+        assert match['date'] == doc[7]