Sentences, statements, and entries
Unless the associated rules explicitly state otherwise, each required clause or statement must be written in the sequence shown in its format. If optional clauses or statements are used, they must be written in the sequence shown in their formats. These rules are true even for clauses and statements treated as comments.
The syntactical hierarchy follows this form:
- IDENTIFICATION DIVISION
- Paragraphs
- Entries
- Clauses
- Entries
- Paragraphs
- ENVIRONMENT DIVISION
- Sections
- Paragraphs
- Entries
- Clauses
- Phrases
- Clauses
- Entries
- Paragraphs
- Sections
- DATA DIVISION
- Sections
- Entries
- Clauses
- Phrases
- Clauses
- Entries
- Sections
- PROCEDURE DIVISION
- Sections
- Paragraphs
- Sentences
- Statements
- Phrases
- Statements
- Sentences
- Paragraphs
- Sections