Biomass gasification and pyrolysis were studied in a laboratory-scale atmospheric pressure entrained flow reactor. Effects of operating parameters and biomass types on the syngas composition were investigated. In general, the carbon conversion during biomass gasification was higher than 90% at the optimal conditions of 1400 degrees C with steam addition. The biomass carbon that was not converted to gas in the gasification process only appeared as soot particles in the syngas in all of the experiments, except for the two experiments performed at 1000 degrees C, where a very small amount of char was also left. In comparison to pyrolysis, lower yields of soot, H-2, and CO were produced during gasification. The yield of soot could be reduced by a longer residence time, larger feeder air flow, lower oxygen concentration, higher excess air ratio, higher steam/carbon ratio, and higher reactor temperature. Changes in residence time, feeder air flow, and oxygen concentration did not show a noticeable influence on H-2 and CO yields. Increasing the excess air ratio decreased both the H-2 and CO yields; increasing the steam/carbon ratio increased the H-2 yield but decreased the CO yield; and increasing the reactor temperature increased both the H-2 and CO yields. Wood, straw, and dried lignin had similar gasification behavior, except with regard to soot formation. The soot yield was lowest during straw gasification possibly because of its high potassium content.