Methods and systems for improved query evaluation in computer systems are provided. A system receives a full text query for evaluation against a collection of XML documents. The query comprises specifies one or more tokens and one or more contexts. The contexts each represent a path within an XML expression. The query is used to make multiple determinations. First, determining, using token lists, first documents that contain the tokens included in the query. Second, determining, using tag lists, second documents that contain the contexts included in the query. Third, determining third documents by comparing the first documents and the second documents to determine which documents contain both the tokens and the contexts. The query is then evaluated in view of the third documents.