diff --git a/hed/models/basic_search_util.py b/hed/models/basic_search_util.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..7e3224a5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/hed/models/basic_search_util.py
@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+"""
+Utilities to support HED searches based on strings.
+"""
+from hed.models.hed_string import HedString
+from hed.models.hed_tag import HedTag
+
+
+def convert_query(search_query, schema):
+    """Converts the given basic search query into a hed_string
+
+    Parameters:
+        search_query(str): The basic search query to convert.
+        schema(HedSchema): The schema to use to convert tags
+
+    Returns:
+        long_query(str): The converted search query, in long form.
+    """
+    input_tags = HedString.split_hed_string(search_query)
+    output_string = ""
+    skippable_prefix = ("@", "~")
+    skippable_suffix = ("*", )
+    for is_hed_tag, (startpos, endpos) in input_tags:
+        input_tag = search_query[startpos:endpos]
+        add_suffix = ""
+        if is_hed_tag:
+            if input_tag.startswith(skippable_prefix):
+                output_string += input_tag[:1]
+                input_tag = input_tag[1:]
+
+            if input_tag.endswith(skippable_suffix):
+                add_suffix = input_tag[-1:]
+                input_tag = input_tag[:-1]
+            output_string += HedTag(input_tag, schema).long_tag
+            output_string += add_suffix
+        else:
+            output_string += input_tag
+
+    return output_string
diff --git a/tests/models/test_basic_search_util.py b/tests/models/test_basic_search_util.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..9701ca65
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/models/test_basic_search_util.py
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+import unittest
+from hed import load_schema_version
+from hed.models.basic_search_util import convert_query
+
+
+class TestConvertQueryToForm(unittest.TestCase):
+    schema = load_schema_version("8.3.0")
+
+    def test_basic_convert(self):
+        input = "@Event, Head-part*, Time-interval/1"
+        expected_output = "@Event, Item/Biological-item/Anatomical-item/Body-part/Head-part*, Property/Data-property/Data-value/Spatiotemporal-value/Temporal-value/Time-interval/1"
+
+        actual_output = convert_query(input, self.schema)
+        self.assertEqual(expected_output, actual_output)
+
+        input = "@Head-part*, Event, Time-interval/1"
+        expected_output = "@Item/Biological-item/Anatomical-item/Body-part/Head-part*, Event, Property/Data-property/Data-value/Spatiotemporal-value/Temporal-value/Time-interval/1"
+
+        actual_output = convert_query(input, self.schema)
+        self.assertEqual(expected_output, actual_output)
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