diff --git a/moses/src/Phrase.cpp b/moses/src/Phrase.cpp
index 3d30b9d2d..27e39b7d3 100755
--- a/moses/src/Phrase.cpp
+++ b/moses/src/Phrase.cpp
@@ -150,6 +150,13 @@ Word &Phrase::AddWord()
 	return m_words[m_phraseSize++];
 }
 
+void Phrase::Append(const Phrase &endPhrase){
+	
+	for (int i = 0; i < endPhrase.GetSize();i++){
+		AddWord(endPhrase.GetWord(i));	
+	}
+}
+
 vector< vector<string> > Phrase::Parse(const std::string &phraseString, const std::vector<FactorType> &factorOrder, const std::string& factorDelimiter)
 {
 	bool isMultiCharDelimiter = factorDelimiter.size() > 1;
diff --git a/moses/src/Phrase.h b/moses/src/Phrase.h
index 9f22fe206..ab01041c1 100755
--- a/moses/src/Phrase.h
+++ b/moses/src/Phrase.h
@@ -164,5 +164,8 @@ public:
 	*		used to insert & find phrase in dictionary
 	*/
 	bool operator< (const Phrase &compare) const;
+	
+	/** appends a phrase to the end of current phrase **/
+	void Append(const Phrase &endPhrase);
 };
 
diff --git a/moses/src/WordsRange.h b/moses/src/WordsRange.h
index 2fdf4fd5d..aa916b7bb 100755
--- a/moses/src/WordsRange.h
+++ b/moses/src/WordsRange.h
@@ -68,6 +68,15 @@ public:
 						|| (m_startPos==x.m_startPos && m_endPos<x.m_endPos));
 	}
 	
+	// Whether 2 word ranges overlap or not
+	inline bool Overlap(const WordsRange& x) const
+	{
+		
+		if ( x.m_endPos < m_startPos || x.m_startPos > m_endPos) return false;
+		
+		return true;
+	}
+	
 	TO_STRING();
 };