use warnings; use strict; use YAPE::Regex::Explain; print YAPE::Regex::Explain->new('Account number (.*?)')->explain(); __END__ The regular expression: (?-imsx:Account number (.*?)) matches as follows: NODE EXPLANATION ---------------------------------------------------------------------- (?-imsx: group, but do not capture (case-sensitive) (with ^ and $ matching normally) (with . not matching \n) (matching whitespace and # normally): ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Account number 'Account number ' ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ( group and capture to \1: ---------------------------------------------------------------------- .*? any character except \n (0 or more times (matching the least amount possible)) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ) end of \1 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ) end of grouping ----------------------------------------------------------------------