Hello, I am learning the basics of regular expression syntax and have been looking at the following example: #include <iostream> #include <fstream> #include <string> #include <boost/regex.hpp> #include <boost/xpressive/xpressive.hpp> using namespace boost::xpressive; int main() { std::ifstream input("myfile"); if(input) std::cout << "Success\n"; else std::cout << "fail\n"; std::string line; std::string data; while (getline(input, line)) { data += line; } std::string const &ref = data; mark_tag day(1), month(2), year(3), delim(4); sregex date = (month= repeat<1,2>(_d)) // find the month ... >> (delim= (set= '/','-')) // followed by a delimiter ... >> (day= repeat<1,2>(_d)) >> delim // and a day followed by the same >> (year= repeat<1,2>(_d >> _d)); // and the year. smatch what; if( regex_search(ref, what, date ) ) { std::cout << what[0] << '\n'; // whole match std::cout << what[day] << '\n'; // the day std::cout << what[month] << '\n'; // the month std::cout << what[year] << '\n'; // the year std::cout << what[delim] << '\n'; // the delimiter } return 0; } My problem is very simple and I am sorry to be asking about it. I want to include some literal wording in my regular expression. For example, before the program outputs the date it also searches for the words "Football results for" - (then date is output). Please can you show me how to prefix this regular expression with the literal words? My compiler see the 'for' as a c++ keyword, without more. Kind Regards