diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 5710f46..e92621e 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -41,7 +41,19 @@ instead of
 
 ## Syntax
 
-Every Ecmarkdown fragment is a **numeric list**. They are written as a series of lines, each starting with `1. `. Lines can be indented by multiples of exactly two spaces to indicate nesting.
+### Top-Level Constructs
+
+Every Ecmarkdown fragment is a either a **numeric list** or a **paragraph**. These two base productions can contain other productions.
+
+**Numeric lists** are written as a series of lines, each starting with `1. `. Lines can be indented by multiples of exactly two spaces to indicate nesting. To convert a numeric list, use `ecmarkdown.list(stringOfText)` to get back HTML for the list (with root element `<ol>`).
+
+**Paragraphs** are a single line of text. To convert a paragraph, use `ecmarkdown.paragraph(stringOfText)` to get back HTML for the paragraph (with root element `<p>`).
+
+In the future we will unify these into a single parser that allows multiple paragraphs, multiple lists, and any combination thereof. But for now the above is what's fallen out of the work done so far.
+
+### Inline Constructs
+
+Within a paragraph or list item line, the following can be used:
 
 **Variables** are written as `_x_` and are translated to `<var>x</var>`. Variables cannot contain spaces, but can contain underscores.
 
@@ -59,4 +71,4 @@ Every Ecmarkdown fragment is a **numeric list**. They are written as a series of
 
 Ecmarkdown is meant to be used together with [Ecmarkup](https://github.com/bterlson/ecmarkup/). Ecmarkup has an `<emu-alg>` element within which Ecmarkdown can be used; additionally, several Ecmarkdown productions produce Ecmarkup elements, as noted above.
 
-In short, we expect Ecmarkdown to be embedded within a larger Ecmarkup document, used for writing algorithm steps (and perhaps paragraphs) in a concise format.
+In short, we expect Ecmarkdown to be embedded within a larger Ecmarkup document, used for writing algorithm steps and paragraphs in a concise format.
diff --git a/lib/actions.js b/lib/actions.js
index a93d357..1a7187d 100644
--- a/lib/actions.js
+++ b/lib/actions.js
@@ -58,6 +58,15 @@ exports.listItem = function (atoms) {
     return li;
 };
 
+exports.paragraph = function (atoms) {
+    var p = $('<p>');
+    atoms.forEach(function (atom) {
+        p.append(atom);
+    });
+
+    return beautify($.html(p));
+};
+
 exports.variable = function (first, rest) {
     return $('<var>').text(first + rest);
 };
diff --git a/lib/ecmarkdown.js b/lib/ecmarkdown.js
index fb1e261..e247b97 100644
--- a/lib/ecmarkdown.js
+++ b/lib/ecmarkdown.js
@@ -1,6 +1,10 @@
 'use strict';
 var parser = require('./generated-parser.js');
 
-module.exports = function translate(ecmarkdown) {
-    return parser.parse(ecmarkdown.trim() + '\n');
+exports.list = function (ecmarkdown) {
+    return parser.parse(ecmarkdown.trim() + '\n', { startRule: 'list' });
+};
+
+exports.paragraph = function (ecmarkdown) {
+    return parser.parse(ecmarkdown.trim(), { startRule: 'paragraph' });
 };
diff --git a/lib/grammar.pegjs b/lib/grammar.pegjs
index 6b95a19..0af5606 100644
--- a/lib/grammar.pegjs
+++ b/lib/grammar.pegjs
@@ -3,8 +3,14 @@
     var state = actions.makeInitialState();
 }
 
+// Entry points
+
 list = lines:(dents $[0-9]+ ". " listItem "\n")+                           { return actions.list(lines, state); }
 
+paragraph = atoms:atom+                                                    { return actions.paragraph(atoms); }
+
+// Supporting productions
+
 dents = spaces:"  "*                                                       { return actions.dents(spaces, state); }
 
 listItem = atoms:atom+                                                     { return actions.listItem(atoms); }
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 277ea45..006a414 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@
   },
   "devDependencies": {
     "baseline-tester": "^1.1.1",
+    "bluebird": "^2.6.2",
     "glob": "^4.0.5",
     "jscs": "^1.6.1",
     "jshint": "^2.5.5"
diff --git a/scripts/generate-grammar.js b/scripts/generate-grammar.js
index 31f6c9e..aef22c2 100644
--- a/scripts/generate-grammar.js
+++ b/scripts/generate-grammar.js
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ process.stdin.on('data', function (data) {
     grammarText += data;
 });
 process.stdin.on('end', function () {
-    var parserSource = pegjs.buildParser(grammarText, { output: 'source' });
+    var parserSource = pegjs.buildParser(grammarText, { output: 'source', allowedStartRules: ['list', 'paragraph'] });
     process.stdout.write('module.exports = ');
     process.stdout.write(parserSource);
 });
diff --git a/test/cases/code.ecmarkdown b/test/list-cases/code.ecmarkdown
similarity index 100%
rename from test/cases/code.ecmarkdown
rename to test/list-cases/code.ecmarkdown
diff --git a/test/cases/code.html b/test/list-cases/code.html
similarity index 100%
rename from test/cases/code.html
rename to test/list-cases/code.html
diff --git a/test/cases/iterator-close.ecmarkdown b/test/list-cases/iterator-close.ecmarkdown
similarity index 100%
rename from test/cases/iterator-close.ecmarkdown
rename to test/list-cases/iterator-close.ecmarkdown
diff --git a/test/cases/iterator-close.html b/test/list-cases/iterator-close.html
similarity index 100%
rename from test/cases/iterator-close.html
rename to test/list-cases/iterator-close.html
diff --git a/test/cases/list-numbering.ecmarkdown b/test/list-cases/list-numbering.ecmarkdown
similarity index 100%
rename from test/cases/list-numbering.ecmarkdown
rename to test/list-cases/list-numbering.ecmarkdown
diff --git a/test/cases/list-numbering.html b/test/list-cases/list-numbering.html
similarity index 100%
rename from test/cases/list-numbering.html
rename to test/list-cases/list-numbering.html
diff --git a/test/cases/list.ecmarkdown b/test/list-cases/list.ecmarkdown
similarity index 100%
rename from test/cases/list.ecmarkdown
rename to test/list-cases/list.ecmarkdown
diff --git a/test/cases/list.html b/test/list-cases/list.html
similarity index 100%
rename from test/cases/list.html
rename to test/list-cases/list.html
diff --git a/test/cases/nested-list.ecmarkdown b/test/list-cases/nested-list.ecmarkdown
similarity index 100%
rename from test/cases/nested-list.ecmarkdown
rename to test/list-cases/nested-list.ecmarkdown
diff --git a/test/cases/nested-list.html b/test/list-cases/nested-list.html
similarity index 100%
rename from test/cases/nested-list.html
rename to test/list-cases/nested-list.html
diff --git a/test/cases/nonterminals.ecmarkdown b/test/list-cases/nonterminals.ecmarkdown
similarity index 100%
rename from test/cases/nonterminals.ecmarkdown
rename to test/list-cases/nonterminals.ecmarkdown
diff --git a/test/cases/nonterminals.html b/test/list-cases/nonterminals.html
similarity index 100%
rename from test/cases/nonterminals.html
rename to test/list-cases/nonterminals.html
diff --git a/test/cases/spec-constants.ecmarkdown b/test/list-cases/spec-constants.ecmarkdown
similarity index 100%
rename from test/cases/spec-constants.ecmarkdown
rename to test/list-cases/spec-constants.ecmarkdown
diff --git a/test/cases/spec-constants.html b/test/list-cases/spec-constants.html
similarity index 100%
rename from test/cases/spec-constants.html
rename to test/list-cases/spec-constants.html
diff --git a/test/cases/values.ecmarkdown b/test/list-cases/values.ecmarkdown
similarity index 100%
rename from test/cases/values.ecmarkdown
rename to test/list-cases/values.ecmarkdown
diff --git a/test/cases/values.html b/test/list-cases/values.html
similarity index 100%
rename from test/cases/values.html
rename to test/list-cases/values.html
diff --git a/test/cases/variables.ecmarkdown b/test/list-cases/variables.ecmarkdown
similarity index 100%
rename from test/cases/variables.ecmarkdown
rename to test/list-cases/variables.ecmarkdown
diff --git a/test/cases/variables.html b/test/list-cases/variables.html
similarity index 100%
rename from test/cases/variables.html
rename to test/list-cases/variables.html
diff --git a/test/paragraph-cases/beginning-value.ecmarkdown b/test/paragraph-cases/beginning-value.ecmarkdown
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..39b1b6f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/paragraph-cases/beginning-value.ecmarkdown
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+*beginning* value
diff --git a/test/paragraph-cases/beginning-value.html b/test/paragraph-cases/beginning-value.html
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..27c3ccf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/paragraph-cases/beginning-value.html
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+<p><emu-val>beginning</emu-val> value</p>
diff --git a/test/run-cases.js b/test/run-cases.js
index eab06fe..de60961 100644
--- a/test/run-cases.js
+++ b/test/run-cases.js
@@ -1,10 +1,21 @@
 'use strict';
 var path = require('path');
-var baselineTester = require('baseline-tester');
-var generate = require('..');
+var Bluebird = require('bluebird');
+var baselineTester = Bluebird.promisify(require('baseline-tester'));
+var ecmarkdown = require('..');
 
-baselineTester(generate, {
-    casesDirectory: path.resolve(__dirname, 'cases'),
-    inputExtension: 'ecmarkdown',
-    outputExtension: 'html'
-});
+Bluebird.try(function () {
+    return baselineTester(ecmarkdown.list, {
+        casesDirectory: path.resolve(__dirname, 'list-cases'),
+        inputExtension: 'ecmarkdown',
+        outputExtension: 'html'
+    });
+})
+.then(function () {
+    return baselineTester(ecmarkdown.paragraph, {
+        casesDirectory: path.resolve(__dirname, 'paragraph-cases'),
+        inputExtension: 'ecmarkdown',
+        outputExtension: 'html'
+    });
+})
+.done();