grammar G { token TOP { <sentRefEnd> } token sentFrag { <char>+ <?before endPunc> } token sentRefEnd { <sentFrag> <endPunc> <ref> } # token sentRefEnd { <char>+? <endPunc> <ref> } token endPunc { \. } token char { \w || \s | \.} token ref { \(\d+\) } } class GActions { method sentRefEnd($/) { say $/.Str; } } my $book = "Hello how are you.(1)"; my $match = G.parse($book, :actions(GActions.new())); say $match;