diff --git a/lib/parfait/word.rb b/lib/parfait/word.rb
index 3df5a856..15e0e3d6 100644
--- a/lib/parfait/word.rb
+++ b/lib/parfait/word.rb
@@ -13,7 +13,8 @@ module Parfait
   # Object length is measured in non-type cells though
 
   class Word < Data8
-    attr_reader :char_length , :next_word
+    attr_reader :char_length ,:next_word
+
 
     def self.type_length
       3    # 0 type , 1 char_length , next_word
@@ -199,23 +200,36 @@ module Parfait
       str_ind=0
       while ( str_ind<index )
         cpy.set_char(cpy_ind,get_char(str_ind))
-	cpy_ind=cpy_ind+1
-	str_ind=str_ind+1
+	      cpy_ind=cpy_ind+1
+	      str_ind=str_ind+1
       end
       oth_ind=0
       while ( oth_ind<other.length )
-	cpy.set_char(cpy_ind,other.get_char(oth_ind))
-	cpy_ind=cpy_ind+1
-	oth_ind=oth_ind+1
+	      cpy.set_char(cpy_ind,other.get_char(oth_ind))
+	      cpy_ind=cpy_ind+1
+	      oth_ind=oth_ind+1
       end
       while ( str_ind<length )
-	cpy.set_char(cpy_ind,get_char(str_ind))
-	str_ind=str_ind+1
-	cpy_ind=cpy_ind+1
+	      cpy.set_char(cpy_ind,get_char(str_ind))
+	      str_ind=str_ind+1
+	      cpy_ind=cpy_ind+1
       end  
       cpy
     end
 
+    def start_with(other)
+      return false if other.length > self.length
+        s = other.length
+        i=0
+        while i<=s-1
+          if other.get_char(i) != self.get_char(i)
+            return false
+          end
+          i=i+1
+        end
+        return true
+      end
+    
     private
     def check_length
       raise "Length out of bounds #{char_length}" if @char_length > 1000
diff --git a/test/parfait/test_word2.rb b/test/parfait/test_word2.rb
index fc8e2e23..cddc13e0 100644
--- a/test/parfait/test_word2.rb
+++ b/test/parfait/test_word2.rb
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ module Parfait
       super
       @word = Parfait::Word.new(5)
     end
+
     def test_len
       assert_equal 5 , @word.length
     end
@@ -83,6 +84,28 @@ module Parfait
       two = Parfait.new_word("one")
       assert one.compare(two)
     end
+
+    def test_start_with1
+      one = Parfait.new_word("Hello")
+      two = Parfait.new_word("Hel")
+      assert one.start_with(two)
+    end
+    def test_start_with2
+      one = Parfait.new_word("Vanilla")
+      two = Parfait.new_word("Va")
+      assert one.start_with(two)
+    end
+    def test_start_with3
+      one = Parfait.new_word("hello")
+      two = Parfait.new_word("hellooo")
+      assert_equal false, one.start_with(two)
+    end
+    def test_start_with4
+      one = Parfait.new_word("bajjs")
+      two = Parfait.new_word("bgjj")
+      assert_equal false, one.start_with(two)
+    end
+
     def test_first_char
       one = Parfait.new_word("one")
       one.set_char(0 , "T".ord)