<?php
function validateForm($validation, $required = array()) {
    foreach ($validation as $key => $config) {
        if ($_REQUEST[$key]) {
            if (!preg_match($_REQUEST[$key], $config["pattern"])) {
                return $config["error"];
            }
        } else if ($required[$key]) {
            return $config["error"];
        }
    }
    return true;
}

if (validateForm(array(
    "email" => array(
        "pattern" => "~([a-zA-Z0-9\-]+)@(.*?)~",
        "error" => "The email you have provided is shit, go away"
    ),
    "first" => array(
        "pattern" => "~([A-Za-z]+)~",
        "error" => "The first name provided is clearly made up, get a life"
    )
), array("email", "first"))) {
    echo "You got it ...";
} else echo "You are a failure, I have no time for you ...";
?>