diff --git a/src/pkg/ebnf/ebnf.go b/src/pkg/ebnf/ebnf.go
index 898a4817353..8333f583093 100644
--- a/src/pkg/ebnf/ebnf.go
+++ b/src/pkg/ebnf/ebnf.go
@@ -23,7 +23,6 @@
 package ebnf
 
 import (
-	"container/vector"
 	"go/scanner"
 	"go/token"
 	"os"
@@ -123,7 +122,7 @@ func isLexical(name string) bool {
 
 type verifier struct {
 	scanner.ErrorVector
-	worklist vector.Vector
+	worklist []*Production
 	reached  Grammar // set of productions reached from (and including) the root production
 	grammar  Grammar
 }
@@ -132,7 +131,7 @@ type verifier struct {
 func (v *verifier) push(prod *Production) {
 	name := prod.Name.String
 	if _, found := v.reached[name]; !found {
-		v.worklist.Push(prod)
+		v.worklist = append(v.worklist, prod)
 		v.reached[name] = prod
 	}
 }
@@ -205,14 +204,19 @@ func (v *verifier) verify(grammar Grammar, start string) {
 
 	// initialize verifier
 	v.ErrorVector.Reset()
-	v.worklist.Resize(0, 0)
+	v.worklist = v.worklist[0:0]
 	v.reached = make(Grammar)
 	v.grammar = grammar
 
 	// work through the worklist
 	v.push(root)
-	for v.worklist.Len() > 0 {
-		prod := v.worklist.Pop().(*Production)
+	for {
+		n := len(v.worklist) - 1
+		if n < 0 {
+			break
+		}
+		prod := v.worklist[n]
+		v.worklist = v.worklist[0:n]
 		v.verifyExpr(prod.Expr, isLexical(prod.Name.String))
 	}
 
diff --git a/src/pkg/ebnf/parser.go b/src/pkg/ebnf/parser.go
index 64958787940..32edbacafeb 100644
--- a/src/pkg/ebnf/parser.go
+++ b/src/pkg/ebnf/parser.go
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@
 package ebnf
 
 import (
-	"container/vector"
 	"go/scanner"
 	"go/token"
 	"os"
@@ -116,36 +115,30 @@ func (p *parser) parseTerm() (x Expression) {
 
 
 func (p *parser) parseSequence() Expression {
-	var list vector.Vector
+	var list Sequence
 
 	for x := p.parseTerm(); x != nil; x = p.parseTerm() {
-		list.Push(x)
+		list = append(list, x)
 	}
 
 	// no need for a sequence if list.Len() < 2
-	switch list.Len() {
+	switch len(list) {
 	case 0:
 		return nil
 	case 1:
-		return list.At(0).(Expression)
+		return list[0]
 	}
 
-	// convert list into a sequence
-	seq := make(Sequence, list.Len())
-	for i := 0; i < list.Len(); i++ {
-		seq[i] = list.At(i).(Expression)
-	}
-	return seq
+	return list
 }
 
 
 func (p *parser) parseExpression() Expression {
-	var list vector.Vector
+	var list Alternative
 
 	for {
-		x := p.parseSequence()
-		if x != nil {
-			list.Push(x)
+		if x := p.parseSequence(); x != nil {
+			list = append(list, x)
 		}
 		if p.tok != token.OR {
 			break
@@ -154,19 +147,14 @@ func (p *parser) parseExpression() Expression {
 	}
 
 	// no need for an Alternative node if list.Len() < 2
-	switch list.Len() {
+	switch len(list) {
 	case 0:
 		return nil
 	case 1:
-		return list.At(0).(Expression)
+		return list[0]
 	}
 
-	// convert list into an Alternative node
-	alt := make(Alternative, list.Len())
-	for i := 0; i < list.Len(); i++ {
-		alt[i] = list.At(i).(Expression)
-	}
-	return alt
+	return list
 }