cat add-data.txt 432 10TH ST APT (Range 2A - 2B) BROOKLYN NY 10598-6601 432 10TH ST APT (Range 3A - 3B) BROOKLYN NY 10598-6601 432 10TH ST APT (Range 4A - 4B) BROOKLYN NY 10598-6605 432 10TH ST APT (Range 5A - 5D) BROOKLYN NY 10598-6605 432 10TH ST APT 6A BROOKLYN NY 10598-6605 perl -i.bak -p -e "s/BROOKLYN/BROCCOLINO/ and $c++; END{print qq($c changes\n)}" add-data.txt 5 changes cat add-data.txt 432 10TH ST APT (Range 2A - 2B) BROCCOLINO NY 10598-6601 432 10TH ST APT (Range 3A - 3B) BROCCOLINO NY 10598-6601 432 10TH ST APT (Range 4A - 4B) BROCCOLINO NY 10598-6605 432 10TH ST APT (Range 5A - 5D) BROCCOLINO NY 10598-6605 432 10TH ST APT 6A BROCCOLINO NY 10598-6605