diff --git a/packages/core/package.json b/packages/core/package.json
index 7e1285dc..cf9c34e4 100644
--- a/packages/core/package.json
+++ b/packages/core/package.json
@@ -27,8 +27,7 @@
     "prosemirror-state": "^1.3.3",
     "prosemirror-tables": "^1.1.1",
     "prosemirror-utils": "^0.9.6",
-    "prosemirror-view": "^1.15.6",
-    "verbal-expressions": "^1.0.2"
+    "prosemirror-view": "^1.15.6"
   },
   "scripts": {
     "build": "microbundle"
diff --git a/packages/extension-bold/index.ts b/packages/extension-bold/index.ts
index c08f8c35..e4e7b0a6 100644
--- a/packages/extension-bold/index.ts
+++ b/packages/extension-bold/index.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 import { Mark, markInputRule, markPasteRule } from '@tiptap/core'
-import VerEx from 'verbal-expressions'
 
 declare module '@tiptap/core/src/Editor' {
   interface Editor {
@@ -7,6 +6,11 @@ declare module '@tiptap/core/src/Editor' {
   }
 }
 
+export const starInputRegex = /(?:^|\s)((?:\*\*)((?:[^\*\*]+))(?:\*\*))$/gm
+export const starPasteRegex = /(?:^|\s)((?:\*\*)((?:[^\*\*]+))(?:\*\*))/gm
+export const underscoreInputRegex = /(?:^|\s)((?:__)((?:[^__]+))(?:__))$/gm
+export const underscorePasteRegex = /(?:^|\s)((?:__)((?:[^__]+))(?:__))/gm
+
 export default new Mark()
   .name('bold')
   .schema(() => ({
@@ -34,35 +38,12 @@ export default new Mark()
   .keys(({ editor }) => ({
     'Mod-b': () => editor.bold()
   }))
-  .inputRules(({ type }) => {
-    return ['**', '__'].map(character => {
-      const regex = VerEx()
-        .add('(?:^|\\s)')
-        .beginCapture()
-        .find(character)
-        .beginCapture()
-        .somethingBut(character)
-        .endCapture()
-        .find(character)
-        .endCapture()
-        .endOfLine()
-
-      return markInputRule(regex, type)
-    })
-  })
-  .pasteRules(({ type }) => {
-    return ['**', '__'].map(character => {
-      const regex = VerEx()
-        .add('(?:^|\\s)')
-        .beginCapture()
-        .find(character)
-        .beginCapture()
-        .somethingBut(character)
-        .endCapture()
-        .find(character)
-        .endCapture()
-
-      return markPasteRule(regex, type)
-    })
-  })
+  .inputRules(({ type }) => [
+    markInputRule(starInputRegex, type),
+    markInputRule(underscoreInputRegex, type),
+  ])
+  .pasteRules(({ type }) => [
+    markPasteRule(starPasteRegex, type),
+    markPasteRule(underscorePasteRegex, type),
+  ])
   .create()
diff --git a/packages/extension-code/index.ts b/packages/extension-code/index.ts
index 1a712dca..cba8c320 100644
--- a/packages/extension-code/index.ts
+++ b/packages/extension-code/index.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 import { Mark, markInputRule, markPasteRule } from '@tiptap/core'
-import VerEx from 'verbal-expressions'
 
 declare module '@tiptap/core/src/Editor' {
   interface Editor {
@@ -7,6 +6,9 @@ declare module '@tiptap/core/src/Editor' {
   }
 }
 
+export const inputRegex = /(?:^|\s)((?:`)((?:[^`]+))(?:`))$/gm
+export const pasteRegex = /(?:^|\s)((?:`)((?:[^`]+))(?:`))/gm
+
 export default new Mark()
   .name('code')
   .schema(() => ({
@@ -25,31 +27,10 @@ export default new Mark()
   .keys(({ editor }) => ({
     'Mod-`': () => editor.code()
   }))
-  .inputRules(({ type }) => {
-    const regex = VerEx()
-      .add('(?:^|\\s)')
-      .beginCapture()
-      .find('`')
-      .beginCapture()
-      .somethingBut('`')
-      .endCapture()
-      .find('`')
-      .endCapture()
-      .endOfLine()
-
-    return [markInputRule(regex, type)]
-  })
-  .pasteRules(({ type }) => {
-    const regex = VerEx()
-      .add('(?:^|\\s)')
-      .beginCapture()
-      .find('`')
-      .beginCapture()
-      .somethingBut('`')
-      .endCapture()
-      .find('`')
-      .endCapture()
-
-    return [markPasteRule(regex, type)]
-  })
+  .inputRules(({ type }) => [
+    markInputRule(inputRegex, type)
+  ])
+  .pasteRules(({ type }) => [
+    markPasteRule(inputRegex, type)
+  ])
   .create()
diff --git a/packages/extension-heading/index.ts b/packages/extension-heading/index.ts
index 0475b620..d9cbc3f7 100644
--- a/packages/extension-heading/index.ts
+++ b/packages/extension-heading/index.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,4 @@
-import { Node, CommandSpec } from '@tiptap/core'
-import { NodeSpec } from 'prosemirror-model'
-import VerEx from 'verbal-expressions'
+import { Node } from '@tiptap/core'
 import { textblockTypeInputRule } from 'prosemirror-inputrules'
 
 type Level = 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6
@@ -45,14 +43,7 @@ export default new Node<HeadingOptions>()
   }))
   .inputRules(({ options, type }) => {
     return options.levels.map((level: Level) => {
-      const regex = VerEx()
-        .startOfLine()
-        .find('#')
-        .repeatPrevious(level)
-        .whitespace()
-        .endOfLine()
-
-      return textblockTypeInputRule(regex, type, { level })
+      return textblockTypeInputRule(new RegExp(`^(?:#){${level}}\s$/gm`), type, { level })
     })
   })
   .create()
diff --git a/packages/extension-italic/index.ts b/packages/extension-italic/index.ts
index cd01b206..237b8ac4 100644
--- a/packages/extension-italic/index.ts
+++ b/packages/extension-italic/index.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 import { Mark, markInputRule, markPasteRule } from '@tiptap/core'
-import VerEx from 'verbal-expressions'
 
 declare module '@tiptap/core/src/Editor' {
   interface Editor {
@@ -7,6 +6,11 @@ declare module '@tiptap/core/src/Editor' {
   }
 }
 
+export const starInputRegex = /(?:^|\s)((?:\*)((?:[^\*]+))(?:\*))$/gm
+export const starPasteRegex = /(?:^|\s)((?:\*)((?:[^\*]+))(?:\*))/gm
+export const underscoreInputRegex = /(?:^|\s)((?:_)((?:[^_]+))(?:_))$/gm
+export const underscorePasteRegex = /(?:^|\s)((?:_)((?:[^_]+))(?:_))/gm
+
 export default new Mark()
   .name('italic')
   .schema(() => ({
@@ -26,35 +30,12 @@ export default new Mark()
   .keys(({ editor }) => ({
     'Mod-i': () => editor.italic()
   }))
-  .inputRules(({ type }) => {
-    return ['*', '_'].map(character => {
-      const regex = VerEx()
-        .add('(?:^|\\s)')
-        .beginCapture()
-        .find(character)
-        .beginCapture()
-        .somethingBut(character)
-        .endCapture()
-        .find(character)
-        .endCapture()
-        .endOfLine()
-
-      return markInputRule(regex, type)
-    })
-  })
-  .pasteRules(({ type }) => {
-    return ['*', '_'].map(character => {
-      const regex = VerEx()
-        .add('(?:^|\\s)')
-        .beginCapture()
-        .find(character)
-        .beginCapture()
-        .somethingBut(character)
-        .endCapture()
-        .find(character)
-        .endCapture()
-
-      return markPasteRule(regex, type)
-    })
-  })
+  .inputRules(({ type }) => [
+    markInputRule(starInputRegex, type),
+    markInputRule(underscoreInputRegex, type),
+  ])
+  .pasteRules(({ type }) => [
+    markPasteRule(starPasteRegex, type),
+    markPasteRule(underscorePasteRegex, type),
+  ])
   .create()
diff --git a/yarn.lock b/yarn.lock
index 496a9438..fbfcb78f 100644
--- a/yarn.lock
+++ b/yarn.lock
@@ -13476,11 +13476,6 @@ vendors@^1.0.0:
   resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/vendors/-/vendors-1.0.4.tgz#e2b800a53e7a29b93506c3cf41100d16c4c4ad8e"
   integrity sha512-/juG65kTL4Cy2su4P8HjtkTxk6VmJDiOPBufWniqQ6wknac6jNiXS9vU+hO3wgusiyqWlzTbVHi0dyJqRONg3w==
 
-verbal-expressions@^1.0.2:
-  version "1.0.2"
-  resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/verbal-expressions/-/verbal-expressions-1.0.2.tgz#1f2d28fdcf7169be270777ff5fadcdb2b3b905c5"
-  integrity sha512-LV8eG4ckcg1iIhGjOF+j1jb0b58m1DgGywce+2U8kbRrB5wZnGe4XCyUyOujZR9D/+rJGXTmxnL30o3zAgmC4w==
-
 verror@1.10.0:
   version "1.10.0"
   resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/verror/-/verror-1.10.0.tgz#3a105ca17053af55d6e270c1f8288682e18da400"