$str = "Ab stuff Cd stuff Ef stuff"; # case 1 @ary1 = $str =~ m/(stuff)/g ; @ary2 = $str =~ m/(st)u(ff)/g ; print "\@ary1 = @ary1\n"; print "\@ary2 = @ary2\n"; __DATA__ outputs: @ary1 = stuff stuff stuff @ary2 = st ff st ff st ff