# Retreive first word in text field

**URL:** <https://forums.knack.com/t/retreive-first-word-in-text-field/12859>\
**Category:** Ask the Community\
**Created:** [August 2, 2022, 9:45pm UTC](https://forums.knack.com/t/retreive-first-word-in-text-field/12859 "2022-08-02T21:45:01Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![DustinCoke04578](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/91b2a8/32.png) [@DustinCoke04578](https://forums.knack.com/u/DustinCoke04578)\
**Post date:** [August 2, 2022, 9:45pm UTC](https://forums.knack.com/t/retreive-first-word-in-text-field/12859/1 "2022-08-02T21:45:01Z")

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Hi, is there a simple text equation that can be used to get the first word of a string of text?

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![KnackPros](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/forums.knack.com/knackpros/32/807_2.png) [@KnackPros](https://forums.knack.com/u/KnackPros)\
**Post date:** [August 2, 2022, 10:23pm UTC](https://forums.knack.com/t/retreive-first-word-in-text-field/12859/2 "2022-08-02T22:23:51Z")

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You can use the function `extractRegex`, then pass it a regular expression.

For example, given the fields **My Field** and **Text Formula** :

 ![Screen Shot 2022-08-02 at 3.17.56 PM](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/uploads/knack/original/2X/e/e5ddb243e401cae17c126afc5b843fdc7a7b6a0e.png)

Here’s how you would extract the first word of **My Field** :

```auto
extractRegex({My Field}, ^([\w\-]+))

```

 ![Screen Shot 2022-08-02 at 3.18.15 PM](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/uploads/knack/original/2X/2/2b5299532626d871c3ca09fa9c9484aba3f7b0ac.png)

Does that work for you?

Ian  
[Knack Pros](https://knackpros.com)

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![DustinCoke04578](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/91b2a8/32.png) [@DustinCoke04578](https://forums.knack.com/u/DustinCoke04578)\
**Post date:** [August 2, 2022, 10:37pm UTC](https://forums.knack.com/t/retreive-first-word-in-text-field/12859/3 "2022-08-02T22:37:38Z")

</div>

Thank you! Resolved!