He and his associates weren't operating at the level of metaphor.
( ( ( He and ) ( his associates ) ) ( ( ( were n't ) ( operating ( at ( ( the level ) ( of metaphor ) ) ) ) ) . ) )
(ROOT (S (NP (NP (PRP He)) (CC and) (NP (PRP$ his) (NNS associates))) (VP (VBD were) (RB n't) (VP (VBG operating) (PP (IN at) (NP (NP (DT the) (NN level)) (PP (IN of) (NP (NN metaphor))))))) (. .)))
He and his associates were operating at the level of the metaphor.
( ( ( He and ) ( his associates ) ) ( ( were ( operating ( at ( ( the level ) ( of ( the metaphor ) ) ) ) ) ) . ) )
(ROOT (S (NP (NP (PRP He)) (CC and) (NP (PRP$ his) (NNS associates))) (VP (VBD were) (VP (VBG operating) (PP (IN at) (NP (NP (DT the) (NN level)) (PP (IN of) (NP (DT the) (NN metaphor))))))) (. .)))