my $a = 'first second ...other non-\w char groups...'; my @s;

while (... not finished string ...) {
  if ($a =~ /\G(\w+) ?/gc) {
    push @s, $1;
  } elsif ... other stuff not important
}

##</code><code>##

while (... not finished string ...) {
  if (my @m = ($a =~ /\G(\w+) ?/gc)) {
    push @s, @m;
  } elsif ... other stuff not important
}

##</code><code>##

while (... not finished string ...) {
  if (my @m = ($a =~ /\G(?:(\w+) ?)+/c)) {
    push @s, @m;
  } elsif ... other stuff not important
}