my @data = ; print "Using lexical varible:\n"; foreach my $line (@data){ if($line =~ /begin/../end/){ print $line; } } print "\nNot using lexical varible:\n"; foreach (@data){ if(/begin/../end/){ print; } } __DATA__ before begin 1 2 3 end after __RESULT__ Using lexical varible: begin 1 2 3 end after Not using lexical varible: begin 1 2 3 end