var str = "(page1 page2 page3-'page3_1 page 3_2 page3_3' page4)"; alert(str.match(/\S+["'][\S\s]+?["']|\S+/g)); str = '(page1 page2 page3-"page3_1 page 3_2 page3_3" page4&)' alert(str.match(/\S+["'][\S\s]+?["']|\S+/g));