Question: I want to type something like this page <http://caml.inria.fr/pub/docs/manual-ocaml/expr.html>. So I need to use `\begin{align*}` and `\end{align*}` which displays its contents math mode. Therefore italic font is needed. But when I type directly "value-path" for instance, its letters look very loose.

Does anyone know how to make its letters tighter?

Answer: 
An example using the `syntax` package:

```
\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{syntax}

\begin{document}
\begin{grammar}

<statement> ::= <ident> `=' <expr> 
\alt `for' <ident> `=' <expr> `to' <expr> `do' <statement> 
\alt `{' <stat-list> `}' 
\alt <empty> 
<stat-list> ::= <statement> `;' <stat-list> | <statement> 

\end{grammar} 
\end{document}

```

![enter image description here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/cvapZ.png)
For "multiletter identifiers", use `\mathit{expr}`.