diff --git a/Cargo.lock b/Cargo.lock
index 157fde7..c92a2e6 100644
--- a/Cargo.lock
+++ b/Cargo.lock
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "cirru_parser"
-version = "0.2.5"
+version = "0.2.8"
 dependencies = [
  "criterion",
  "serde",
diff --git a/Cargo.toml b/Cargo.toml
index 465eae2..aa02aa3 100644
--- a/Cargo.toml
+++ b/Cargo.toml
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 
 [package]
 name = "cirru_parser"
-version = "0.2.5"
+version = "0.2.8"
 authors = ["jiyinyiyong <jiyinyiyong@gmail.com>"]
 edition = "2024"
 license = "MIT"
diff --git a/src/parser.rs b/src/parser.rs
index 8a35048..2302af3 100644
--- a/src/parser.rs
+++ b/src/parser.rs
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ use tree::{resolve_comma, resolve_dollar};
 
 pub use primes::{Cirru, CirruLexItem, CirruLexItemList, escape_cirru_leaf};
 pub use s_expr::format_to_lisp;
-pub use writer::{CirruOneLinerExt, CirruWriterOptions, format, format_expr_one_liner};
+pub use writer::{CirruOneLinerExt, CirruWriterOptions, format, format_expr_one_liner, generate_leaf};
 
 /// Helper function to format and print a detailed error
 pub fn print_error(error: &CirruError, source_code: Option<&str>) {
diff --git a/src/primes.rs b/src/primes.rs
index 525155c..5812aef 100644
--- a/src/primes.rs
+++ b/src/primes.rs
@@ -172,6 +172,32 @@ impl Cirru {
       Cirru::Leaf(s) => &(**s) == ";" || &(**s) == ";;",
     }
   }
+
+  /// Returns `true` if this node is a `Leaf`.
+  pub fn is_leaf(&self) -> bool {
+    matches!(self, Self::Leaf(_))
+  }
+
+  /// Returns `true` if this node is a `List`.
+  pub fn is_list(&self) -> bool {
+    matches!(self, Self::List(_))
+  }
+
+  /// Returns the leaf string slice if this node is a `Leaf`, otherwise `None`.
+  pub fn as_leaf_str(&self) -> Option<&str> {
+    match self {
+      Self::Leaf(s) => Some(s),
+      _ => None,
+    }
+  }
+
+  /// Returns the first child node if this is a non-empty `List`, otherwise `None`.
+  pub fn head(&self) -> Option<&Cirru> {
+    match self {
+      Self::List(xs) => xs.first(),
+      _ => None,
+    }
+  }
 }
 
 #[derive(fmt::Debug, PartialEq, Eq)]
diff --git a/src/writer.rs b/src/writer.rs
index 1c71d12..7817236 100644
--- a/src/writer.rs
+++ b/src/writer.rs
@@ -62,7 +62,11 @@ fn is_char_allowed(x: char) -> bool {
   ALLOWED_CHARS.find(x).is_some()
 }
 
-fn generate_leaf(s: &str) -> String {
+/// Format a Cirru leaf token: returns the bare string if all characters are allowed
+/// in Cirru without quoting; otherwise wraps in double quotes with escape sequences.
+/// This mirrors the exact quoting behaviour used by the Cirru formatter when emitting
+/// leaf nodes, so callers outside this crate get consistent output.
+pub fn generate_leaf(s: &str) -> String {
   let mut all_allowed = true;
   for x in s.chars() {
     if !is_char_allowed(x) {
@@ -182,14 +186,6 @@ fn get_node_kind(cursor: &Cirru) -> WriterNode {
   }
 }
 
-fn should_insist_nested_head(ys: &[Cirru], idx: usize, prev_kind: WriterNode) -> bool {
-  if prev_kind == WriterNode::BoxedExpr || prev_kind == WriterNode::Expr {
-    return true;
-  }
-
-  idx > 1 && matches!(ys.first(), Some(Cirru::List(head)) if head.len() > 1)
-}
-
 fn generate_tree(
   xs: &[Cirru],
   insist_head: bool,
@@ -204,6 +200,7 @@ fn generate_tree(
   for (idx, cursor) in xs.iter().enumerate() {
     let kind = get_node_kind(cursor);
     let next_level = level + 1;
+    let child_insist_head = (prev_kind == WriterNode::BoxedExpr) || (prev_kind == WriterNode::Expr) || idx > 1;
     let at_tail = idx != 0 && !in_tail && prev_kind == WriterNode::Leaf && idx == xs.len() - 1;
 
     // println!("\nloop {:?} {:?}", prev_kind, kind);
@@ -213,7 +210,6 @@ fn generate_tree(
     let child: String = match cursor {
       Cirru::Leaf(s) => generate_leaf(s),
       Cirru::List(ys) => {
-        let child_insist_head = should_insist_nested_head(ys, idx, prev_kind);
         if at_tail {
           if ys.is_empty() {
             String::from("$")
@@ -242,12 +238,8 @@ fn generate_tree(
             generate_empty_expr() // special since empty expr is treated as leaf
           }
         } else if kind == WriterNode::SimpleExpr {
-          if prev_kind == WriterNode::Leaf && (idx == 1 || level > base_level || xs.len().saturating_sub(idx) <= 2) {
+          if prev_kind == WriterNode::Leaf {
             generate_inline_expr(ys)
-          } else if prev_kind == WriterNode::Leaf {
-            let mut ret = render_newline(next_level);
-            ret.push_str(&generate_tree(ys, child_insist_head, options, next_level, false)?);
-            ret
           } else if options.use_inline && prev_kind == WriterNode::SimpleExpr {
             let mut ret = String::from(" ");
             ret.push_str(&generate_inline_expr(ys));
@@ -268,7 +260,12 @@ fn generate_tree(
           }
         } else if kind == WriterNode::BoxedExpr {
           let content = generate_tree(ys, child_insist_head, options, next_level, false)?;
-          if prev_kind == WriterNode::Nil || prev_kind == WriterNode::Leaf || prev_kind == WriterNode::SimpleExpr {
+          if child_insist_head {
+            // special case for boxed expr when it insists head, it has both indentation and brackets
+            let mut ret = render_newline(next_level);
+            ret.push_str(&content);
+            ret
+          } else if prev_kind == WriterNode::Nil || prev_kind == WriterNode::Leaf || prev_kind == WriterNode::SimpleExpr {
             content
           } else {
             let mut ret = render_newline(next_level);
@@ -276,7 +273,7 @@ fn generate_tree(
             ret
           }
         } else {
-          return Err(String::from("Unpected condition"));
+          return Err(String::from("Unexpected condition"));
         }
       }
     };
@@ -285,7 +282,7 @@ fn generate_tree(
 
     let chunk = if at_tail
       || (prev_kind == WriterNode::Leaf && kind == WriterNode::Leaf)
-      || (prev_kind == WriterNode::Leaf && kind == WriterNode::SimpleExpr && !child.starts_with('\n'))
+      || (prev_kind == WriterNode::Leaf && kind == WriterNode::SimpleExpr)
       || prev_kind == WriterNode::SimpleExpr && kind == WriterNode::Leaf
     {
       let mut ret = String::from(" ");
diff --git a/tests/cirru/match.cirru b/tests/cirru/match.cirru
index a39ab03..664f047 100644
--- a/tests/cirru/match.cirru
+++ b/tests/cirru/match.cirru
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 
 match x
-  :dyn 1
+  (:dyn) 1
   (:dyn x) 2
   (:dyn x y) 3
   (:dyn x y z) 4
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tests/data/match.json b/tests/data/match.json
index a7f40b5..c3fa48d 100644
--- a/tests/data/match.json
+++ b/tests/data/match.json
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
   [
     "match",
     "x",
-    [":dyn", "1"],
+    [[":dyn"], "1"],
     [[":dyn", "x"], "2"],
     [[":dyn", "x", "y"], "3"],
     [[":dyn", "x", "y", "z"], "4"]
diff --git a/tests/writer_cirru/comma-indent.cirru b/tests/writer_cirru/comma-indent.cirru
index dc00716..a16a0e1 100644
--- a/tests/writer_cirru/comma-indent.cirru
+++ b/tests/writer_cirru/comma-indent.cirru
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 
 c $ d (e)
-    a
-    , d (f)
-      g
+  (a) d (f)
+    g
diff --git a/tests/writer_cirru/indent.cirru b/tests/writer_cirru/indent.cirru
index 35166de..ba82b65 100644
--- a/tests/writer_cirru/indent.cirru
+++ b/tests/writer_cirru/indent.cirru
@@ -2,5 +2,5 @@
 a $ b (c)
 
 e f
-    g
+  (g)
   h
diff --git a/tests/writer_cirru/match.cirru b/tests/writer_cirru/match.cirru
index c28bc16..b4d1f0a 100644
--- a/tests/writer_cirru/match.cirru
+++ b/tests/writer_cirru/match.cirru
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 
 match x
-  :dyn 1
+  (:dyn) 1
   (:dyn x) 2
   (:dyn x y) 3
   (:dyn x y z) 4
diff --git a/tests/writer_data/match.json b/tests/writer_data/match.json
index a7f40b5..c3fa48d 100644
--- a/tests/writer_data/match.json
+++ b/tests/writer_data/match.json
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
   [
     "match",
     "x",
-    [":dyn", "1"],
+    [[":dyn"], "1"],
     [[":dyn", "x"], "2"],
     [[":dyn", "x", "y"], "3"],
     [[":dyn", "x", "y", "z"], "4"]
diff --git a/tests/writer_test.rs b/tests/writer_test.rs
index 1654941..7abc4cc 100644
--- a/tests/writer_test.rs
+++ b/tests/writer_test.rs
@@ -206,7 +206,7 @@ fn format_match_without_bending_later_clauses() -> Result<(), String> {
   let xs = vec![Cirru::List(vec![
     Cirru::leaf("match"),
     Cirru::leaf("x"),
-    Cirru::List(vec![Cirru::leaf(":dyn"), Cirru::leaf("1")]),
+    Cirru::List(vec![Cirru::List(vec![Cirru::leaf(":dyn")]), Cirru::leaf("1")]),
     Cirru::List(vec![Cirru::List(vec![Cirru::leaf(":dyn"), Cirru::leaf("x")]), Cirru::leaf("2")]),
     Cirru::List(vec![
       Cirru::List(vec![Cirru::leaf(":dyn"), Cirru::leaf("x"), Cirru::leaf("y")]),
@@ -220,10 +220,7 @@ fn format_match_without_bending_later_clauses() -> Result<(), String> {
 
   let rendered = format(&xs, CirruWriterOptions::from(false))?;
 
-  assert_eq!(
-    "\nmatch x\n  :dyn 1\n  (:dyn x) 2\n  (:dyn x y) 3\n  (:dyn x y z) 4\n",
-    rendered
-  );
+  assert_eq!("\nmatch x\n  (:dyn) 1\n  (:dyn x) 2\n  (:dyn x y) 3\n  (:dyn x y z) 4\n", rendered);
   Ok(())
 }