Syntax

Character Set :-  same as other programming language 

                                        A,b,7,&,* etc

Coding Sheet :-  80 character position-format accepted by compiler

Position	Field	Description
1-6	Column Numbers	Reserved for Line Numbers
7	Indicator	Have *, comment, slash /
8-11	Area A	All COBOL divisions, sections, paragraphs and some special entries begin here
12-72	Area B	All COBOL statements must begin in area B.
73-80	Identification Area	as needed by Programmer

000100 IDENTIFICATION DIVISION.                                          000100

000200 PROGRAM-ID. HELLO.                                                   000101

000250* THIS IS A COMMENT LINE                                          000102

000300 PROCEDURE DIVISION.                                                000103

000350 A000-FIRST-PARA.                                                           000104

000400     DISPLAY “Coding Sheet”.                                           000105

000500 STOP RUN.                                                                       000106

Character String 

Comment :- does not effect execution of program

000360/ First Para Begins - Documentation Purpose                       000106

        

Literal :- Constant that is hard coded in program

DISPLAY 'Hello World'.   //Hello World is Literal  

Types:-

Alphanumeric Literals :- ‘This is valid’

Numeric Literals :-  100,+10.9, -1.9 etc

COBOL word :- character string that can be reserved or user-defined

Reserved :- file , data, paragraph names etc

Used-Defined :-  ADD,MOVE,+,-, ZEROES,SPACES etc

Figurative Constants :-

HIGH-VALUES , LOW-VALUES , ZERO/ZEROES , SPACES, QUOTES, ALL literal