my ($end) = $word =~ /(e?s)$/ || ('');
... #do something with $word
$word = "$word$end";
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If the word does not end in s/es, I get a warning about uninitialized variables where I append $end - which I wanted to avoid.

I thought about the ternary, but I don't want to evaluate the regex twice.

I simplified the problem because IMO it boils down to the question if I can enforce list context on the part before the ||. But maybe I oversimplified it.

Thanks anyway for the suggestion.

pike

Ah, ok. Try this:

($begin, $end) = $word =~ /(.*?)(es|s|)$/;

Then I'd say my $end = $word =~ /(e?s)$/ ? $1 : '';

Makeshifts last the longest.