diff --git a/common/utils.py b/common/utils.py
index 1e815e8..63c4690 100644
--- a/common/utils.py
+++ b/common/utils.py
@@ -72,6 +72,10 @@ def printerr(*args, **kwargs):
     print(*args, file=sys.stderr, **kwargs)
 
 
+def removeNonAlphabetic(s):
+    return ''.join([i for i in s if i.isalpha()])
+
+
 # # Evaluate a bezier curve for the parameter 0<=t<=1 along its length
 # def evaluateBezierPoint(p1, h1, h2, p2, t):
     # return ((1 - t)**3) * p1 + (3 * t * (1 - t)**2) * h1 + (3 * (t**2) * (1 - t)) * h2 + (t**3) * p2