my $string = "xxxx yy zzzzz xxxx qqq";  

my @array = ( $string =~  /(\b..?\b) (\b....?\b)  (\b...?\b)/sg );

print @array;


# produces nothing. 

# I have also tried rewriting it without success:  it may 
# produce results, but not the right ones! (not the exact 
# sequence)

# also if the string were longer it should produce
# the sequence repeated: 
# "xxxx yy zzzzz xxxx qqq xxxx yy zzzzz xxxx qqq" 
# should produce "yy xxxx qqq  yy xxxx qqq" etc etc 
# until we run out of text.