print "enter text\n"; chomp(my $fs = <>); if ( $fs !~ m|/\w+| ) { ##-- only look for / --## print "YES\t$fs\nfirst test\n"; } elsif ( $fs =~ m|/\w+| ) { ##-- only look for /words --## print "YES\t$fs\nsecond test\n"; } /etc/skel$ /etc/skel$ perl test1 enter text /var YES /var second test /etc/skel$ perl test1 enter text / YES / first test