re_simple_match.py

#!/usr/bin/env python

import re

pattern = 'this'
text = 'Does this text match the pattern?'

match = re.search(pattern, text)

s = match.start()
e = match.end()

print 'Found "%s"\nin "%s"\from %d to %d ("%s")' % \
    (match.re.pattern, match.string, s, e, text[s:e])