diff --git a/lib/common/statements.rb b/lib/common/statements.rb
index 87176bcc..8ee86e21 100644
--- a/lib/common/statements.rb
+++ b/lib/common/statements.rb
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ module Common
     end
     def <<(o)
       @statements << o
+      self
     end
     def collect(arr)
       @statements.each { |s| s.collect(arr) }
diff --git a/lib/vool/statement.rb b/lib/vool/statement.rb
index 5d4fb587..4dbf6f02 100644
--- a/lib/vool/statement.rb
+++ b/lib/vool/statement.rb
@@ -27,13 +27,12 @@ module Vool
 
     # after creation vool normalizes to ensure valid syntax and simplify
     # also throw errors if violation
-    def normalize(method)
-      return self
+    def normalize()
+      raise self.class.name
     end
 
-    # flatten tree to array
-    def collect(arr)
-      arr << self
+    def each()
+      yield self
     end
 
     def to_mom( _ )
@@ -44,25 +43,15 @@ module Vool
     def ct_type
       nil
     end
-    # create corresponding parfait objects, ie classes, types, methods
-    # mainly implemented by class/method statement
-    def create_objects
-    end
 
-    # used to collect type information
-    def add_ivar( array )
-    end
-
-    # used to collect frame information
-    def add_local( array )
-    end
-
-    # used for method creation
-    def set_class( clazz )
-    end
   end
 
   class Expression
+
+    def normalize
+      raise "should not be normalized #{self}"
+    end
+
   end
 
 end
diff --git a/lib/vool/statements/assign_statement.rb b/lib/vool/statements/assign_statement.rb
index 0311770a..fd456eb1 100644
--- a/lib/vool/statements/assign_statement.rb
+++ b/lib/vool/statements/assign_statement.rb
@@ -7,9 +7,9 @@ module Vool
     end
 
     def normalize()
-      raise "not named left #{name}" unless @name.is_a?(Named)
-      raise "unsupported right #{value}" unless @name.is_a?(Named) or
-              @name.is_a?(SendStatement) or @name.is_a?(Constant)
+      raise "not named left #{name.class}" unless @name.is_a?(Symbol)
+      raise "unsupported right #{value}" unless @value.is_a?(Named) or
+              @value.is_a?(SendStatement) or @value.is_a?(Constant)
       self
     end
 
diff --git a/lib/vool/statements/basic_values.rb b/lib/vool/statements/basic_values.rb
index 9b428c02..d50ab179 100644
--- a/lib/vool/statements/basic_values.rb
+++ b/lib/vool/statements/basic_values.rb
@@ -48,10 +48,8 @@ module Vool
   end
   class SelfExpression < Expression
     attr_reader :clazz
-    def set_class(clazz)
-      @clazz = clazz
-    end
     def to_mom(in_method)
+      @clazz = in_method.clazz
       Mom::SlotDefinition.new(:message , [:receiver])
     end
     def ct_type
diff --git a/lib/vool/statements/class_statement.rb b/lib/vool/statements/class_statement.rb
index 9506c6c5..cb1e8d3f 100644
--- a/lib/vool/statements/class_statement.rb
+++ b/lib/vool/statements/class_statement.rb
@@ -5,12 +5,12 @@ module Vool
 
     def initialize( name , supe , body)
       @name , @super_class_name , @body = name , supe , body
-      unless( body.is_a?(ScopeStatement))
-        @body = ScopeStatement.new([])
-        @body.statements << body if body
-      end
+      @body = ScopeStatement.new([]) unless body
     end
 
+    def normalize
+      ClassStatement.new(@name , @super_class_name, @body.normalize )
+    end
     # compilation to the next layer, mom
     # context coming in for class is nil, also for methods, henceafter a method is passed down
     def to_mom( _ )
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ module Vool
       Mom::Statements.new(methods)
     end
 
-    def collect(arr)
+    def each()
       @body.collect(arr)
       super
     end
diff --git a/lib/vool/statements/if_statement.rb b/lib/vool/statements/if_statement.rb
index 4c6fdb92..5d9c2ea0 100644
--- a/lib/vool/statements/if_statement.rb
+++ b/lib/vool/statements/if_statement.rb
@@ -12,10 +12,10 @@ module Vool
       simplify_condition
     end
 
-    def normalize(method)
-      cond , rest = *normalize_name(@condition, method)
-      fals = @if_false ? @if_false.normalize(method) : nil
-      me = IfStatement.new(cond , @if_true.normalize(method), fals)
+    def normalize
+      cond , rest = *normalize_name(@condition)
+      fals = @if_false ? @if_false.normalize : nil
+      me = IfStatement.new(cond , @if_true.normalize, fals)
       return me unless rest
       rest << me
     end
diff --git a/lib/vool/statements/method_statement.rb b/lib/vool/statements/method_statement.rb
index 366e8549..b62f1c59 100644
--- a/lib/vool/statements/method_statement.rb
+++ b/lib/vool/statements/method_statement.rb
@@ -2,13 +2,10 @@ module Vool
   class MethodStatement < Statement
     attr_reader :name, :args , :body , :clazz
 
-    def initialize( name , args , body)
+    def initialize( name , args , body , clazz = nil)
       @name , @args , @body = name , args , body
-      unless( body.is_a?(ScopeStatement))
-        @body = ScopeStatement.new([])
-        @body.statements << body if body
-      end
-
+      @body = ScopeStatement.new([]) unless body
+      @clazz = clazz
     end
 
     # compile to mom instructions. methods themselves do no result in instructions (yet)
@@ -24,8 +21,8 @@ module Vool
       super
     end
 
-    def set_class(clazz)
-      @clazz = clazz
+    def normalize
+      MethodStatement.new( @name , @args , @body.normalize)
     end
 
     def create_objects
@@ -50,7 +47,7 @@ module Vool
     def make_frame
       type_hash = {}
       vars = []
-      @body.collect([]).each { |node| node.add_local(vars) }
+      @body.each([]).each { |node| node.add_local(vars) }
       vars.each { |var| type_hash[var] = :Object }
       Parfait::NamedList.type_for( type_hash )
     end
diff --git a/lib/vool/statements/normalizer.rb b/lib/vool/statements/normalizer.rb
index e6e73949..d9da815e 100644
--- a/lib/vool/statements/normalizer.rb
+++ b/lib/vool/statements/normalizer.rb
@@ -6,10 +6,10 @@ module Vool
     #
     # eg  if( @var % 5) is not normalized
     # but if(tmp_123) is with tmp_123 = @var % 5 hoited above the if
-    def normalize_name( condition , method )
+    def normalize_name( condition )
       return [condition] if condition.is_a?(Named)
-      local = method.create_tmp
-      assign = LocalAssignment.new( local , condition)
+      local = "tmp_#{object_id}"
+      assign = Statements.new [LocalAssignment.new( local , condition)]
       [LocalVariable.new(local) , assign]
     end
   end
diff --git a/lib/vool/vool_compiler.rb b/lib/vool/vool_compiler.rb
index cffac6c5..ab5cee34 100644
--- a/lib/vool/vool_compiler.rb
+++ b/lib/vool/vool_compiler.rb
@@ -5,8 +5,8 @@ module Vool
 
     def self.ruby_to_vool( ruby_source )
       statements = RubyCompiler.compile( ruby_source )
-      statements = statements.normalize(nil)
-      statements.create_objects
+      statements = statements.normalize
+      #statements.create_objects
       statements
     end
     def self.ruby_to_mom(source)
diff --git a/test/vool/ruby_compiler/test_class_statement.rb b/test/vool/ruby_compiler/test_class_statement.rb
index ed2982bb..39d4b480 100644
--- a/test/vool/ruby_compiler/test_class_statement.rb
+++ b/test/vool/ruby_compiler/test_class_statement.rb
@@ -30,9 +30,8 @@ module Vool
     include CompilerHelper
 
     def test_compile_one_method
-      lst = RubyCompiler.compile( in_Test("@ivar") )
-      assert_equal ScopeStatement , lst.body.class
-      assert_equal InstanceVariable , lst.body.statements.first.class
+      lst = RubyCompiler.compile( in_Test("@ivar = 4") )
+      assert_equal IvarAssignment , lst.body.class
     end
     def test_compile_two_methods
       lst = RubyCompiler.compile( in_Test("false; true;") )
diff --git a/test/vool/ruby_compiler/test_method_statement.rb b/test/vool/ruby_compiler/test_method_statement.rb
index 50bdf7af..8a774ae7 100644
--- a/test/vool/ruby_compiler/test_method_statement.rb
+++ b/test/vool/ruby_compiler/test_method_statement.rb
@@ -27,9 +27,9 @@ module Vool
       assert_equal 2 , @lst.body.length
     end
     def test_body_is_scope_one_statement
-      input = "def tryout(arg1, arg2) ; true  ; end "
+      input = "def tryout(arg1, arg2) ; a = true  ; end "
       lst = RubyCompiler.compile( input )
-      assert_equal ScopeStatement , lst.body.class
+      assert_equal LocalAssignment , lst.body.class
     end
     def test_body_is_scope_zero_statement
       input = "def tryout(arg1, arg2) ;  ; end "
diff --git a/test/vool/vool_compiler/helper.rb b/test/vool/vool_compiler/helper.rb
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..b1ecd5e1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/vool/vool_compiler/helper.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+require_relative "../helper"
+
+module VoolHelper
+  include CompilerHelper
+
+  def compile_main( input )
+    st = Vool::VoolCompiler.ruby_to_vool as_test_main( input )
+    assert_equal st.class , Vool::ClassStatement
+    assert_equal st.body.class , Vool::MethodStatement
+    st.body.body
+  end
+
+  def compile_plain( input )
+    Vool::VoolCompiler.ruby_to_vool input
+  end
+end
diff --git a/test/vool/vool_compiler/test_if_statement.rb b/test/vool/vool_compiler/test_if_statement.rb
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..fdcfe2ea
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/vool/vool_compiler/test_if_statement.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,95 @@
+require_relative 'helper'
+
+module Vool
+  module VoolC
+    class TestIfStatement < MiniTest::Test
+      include VoolHelper
+
+      def basic_if
+        "if(10 < 12) ; a = true ; end"
+      end
+      def test_if_basic_hoist
+        lst = compile_main( basic_if )
+        assert_equal Statements , lst.class
+        assert_equal IfStatement , lst.statements[1].class
+      end
+      def pest_if_basic_cond
+        lst = RubyCompiler.compile( basic_if )
+        assert_equal SendStatement , lst.condition.class
+      end
+      def pest_if_basic_branches
+        lst = RubyCompiler.compile( basic_if )
+        assert_equal TrueConstant , lst.if_true.class
+        assert_nil lst.if_false
+      end
+
+      def double_if
+        "if(false) ; true ; else ; false; end"
+      end
+      def pest_if_double
+        lst = RubyCompiler.compile( double_if )
+        assert_equal IfStatement , lst.class
+      end
+      def pest_if_double_cond
+        lst = RubyCompiler.compile( double_if )
+        assert_equal FalseConstant , lst.condition.class
+      end
+      def pest_if_double_branches
+        lst = RubyCompiler.compile( double_if )
+        assert_equal TrueConstant , lst.if_true.class
+        assert_equal FalseConstant, lst.if_false.class
+      end
+
+      def reverse_if
+        "true if(false)"
+      end
+      def pest_if_reverse
+        lst = RubyCompiler.compile( reverse_if )
+        assert_equal IfStatement , lst.class
+      end
+      def pest_if_reverse_cond
+        lst = RubyCompiler.compile( reverse_if )
+        assert_equal FalseConstant , lst.condition.class
+      end
+      def pest_if_reverse_branches
+        lst = RubyCompiler.compile( reverse_if )
+        assert_equal TrueConstant , lst.if_true.class
+        assert_nil lst.if_false
+      end
+
+      def reverse_unless
+        "true unless(false)"
+      end
+      def pest_if_reverse
+        lst = RubyCompiler.compile( reverse_unless )
+        assert_equal IfStatement , lst.class
+      end
+      def pest_if_reverse_cond
+        lst = RubyCompiler.compile( reverse_unless )
+        assert_equal FalseConstant , lst.condition.class
+      end
+      def pest_if_reverse_branches
+        lst = RubyCompiler.compile( reverse_unless )
+        assert_nil  lst.if_true
+        assert_equal TrueConstant ,lst.if_false.class
+      end
+
+      def ternary
+        "false ? true : false"
+      end
+      def pest_if_ternary
+        lst = RubyCompiler.compile( ternary )
+        assert_equal IfStatement , lst.class
+      end
+      def pest_if_ternary_cond
+        lst = RubyCompiler.compile( ternary )
+        assert_equal FalseConstant , lst.condition.class
+      end
+      def pest_if_ternary_branches
+        lst = RubyCompiler.compile( ternary )
+        assert_equal TrueConstant , lst.if_true.class
+        assert_equal FalseConstant, lst.if_false.class
+      end
+    end
+  end
+end