diff --git a/examples/patterns/README.md b/examples/patterns/README.md
index 1d280da..2fb1739 100644
--- a/examples/patterns/README.md
+++ b/examples/patterns/README.md
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 # Text Pattern Matching
 
-As an alternative to full regular expressions, Tomo provides a limited string
+As an alternative to full regular expressions, Tomo provides a limited text
 matching pattern syntax that is intended to solve 80% of use cases in under 1%
 of the code size (PCRE's codebase is roughly 150k lines of code, and Tomo's
 pattern matching code is a bit under 1k lines of code). Tomo's pattern matching
@@ -16,16 +16,17 @@ like a `Text`, but it has a distinct type.
 Patterns are used in a small, but very powerful API that handles many text
 functions that would normally be handled by a more extensive API:
 
-- [`matches_pattern(text:Text, pattern:Pat -> [Text]?)`](#matches_pattern)
-- [`replace_pattern(text:Text, pattern:Pat, replacement:Text, backref="@", recursive=yes -> Text)`](#replace_pattern)
-- [`translate_patterns(text:Text, replacements:{Pat,Text}, backref="@", recursive=yes -> Text)`](#translate_patterns)
-- [`has_pattern(text:Text, pattern:Pat -> Bool)`](#has_pattern)
-- [`find_patterns(text:Text, pattern:Pat -> [PatternMatch])`](#find_patterns)
 - [`by_pattern(text:Text, pattern:Pat -> func(->PatternMatch?))`](#by_pattern)
-- [`each_pattern(text:Text, pattern:Pat, fn:func(m:PatternMatch), recursive=yes)`](#each_pattern)
-- [`map_pattern(text:Text, pattern:Pat, fn:func(m:PatternMatch -> Text), recursive=yes -> Text)`](#map_pattern)
-- [`split_pattern(text:Text, pattern:Pat -> [Text])`](#split_pattern)
 - [`by_pattern_split(text:Text, pattern:Pat -> func(->Text?))`](#by_pattern_split)
+- [`each_pattern(text:Text, pattern:Pat, fn:func(m:PatternMatch), recursive=yes)`](#each_pattern)
+- [`find_patterns(text:Text, pattern:Pat -> [PatternMatch])`](#find_patterns)
+- [`has_pattern(text:Text, pattern:Pat -> Bool)`](#has_pattern)
+- [`map_pattern(text:Text, pattern:Pat, fn:func(m:PatternMatch -> Text), recursive=yes -> Text)`](#map_pattern)
+- [`matches_pattern(text:Text, pattern:Pat -> Bool)`](#matches_pattern)
+- [`pattern_captures(text:Text, pattern:Pat -> [Text]?)`](#pattern_captures)
+- [`replace_pattern(text:Text, pattern:Pat, replacement:Text, backref="@", recursive=yes -> Text)`](#replace_pattern)
+- [`split_pattern(text:Text, pattern:Pat -> [Text])`](#split_pattern)
+- [`translate_patterns(text:Text, replacements:{Pat,Text}, backref="@", recursive=yes -> Text)`](#translate_patterns)
 - [`trim_pattern(text:Text, pattern=$Pat"{space}", left=yes, right=yes -> Text)`](#trim_pattern)
 
 ## Matches
@@ -151,86 +152,6 @@ many repetitions you want by putting a number or range of numbers first using
 
 # Methods
 
-### `matches_pattern`
-Returns an array of text segments that match the given pattern.
-
-```tomo
-func matches_pattern(text:Text, pattern:Pat -> [Text]?)
-```
-
-- `text`: The text to search within.
-- `pattern`: The pattern to match.
-
-**Returns:**  
-An optional array of matched text segments. Returns `none` if no matches are found.
-
----
-
-### `replace_pattern`
-Replaces occurrences of a pattern with a replacement string, supporting backreferences.
-
-```tomo
-func replace_pattern(text:Text, pattern:Pat, replacement:Text, backref="@", recursive=yes -> Text)
-```
-
-- `text`: The text to modify.
-- `pattern`: The pattern to match.
-- `replacement`: The text to replace matches with.
-- `backref`: The symbol for backreferences in the replacement.
-- `recursive`: If `yes`, applies replacements recursively.
-
-**Returns:**  
-A new text with replacements applied.
-
----
-
-### `translate_patterns`
-Replaces multiple patterns using a mapping of patterns to replacement texts.
-
-```tomo
-func translate_patterns(text:Text, replacements:{Pat,Text}, backref="@", recursive=yes -> Text)
-```
-
-- `text`: The text to modify.
-- `replacements`: A table mapping patterns to their replacements.
-- `backref`: The symbol for backreferences in replacements.
-- `recursive`: If `yes`, applies replacements recursively.
-
-**Returns:**  
-A new text with all specified replacements applied.
-
----
-
-### `has_pattern`
-Checks whether a given pattern appears in the text.
-
-```tomo
-func has_pattern(text:Text, pattern:Pat -> Bool)
-```
-
-- `text`: The text to search.
-- `pattern`: The pattern to check for.
-
-**Returns:**  
-`yes` if a match is found, otherwise `no`.
-
----
-
-### `find_patterns`
-Finds all occurrences of a pattern in a text and returns them as `PatternMatch` objects.
-
-```tomo
-func find_patterns(text:Text, pattern:Pat -> [PatternMatch])
-```
-
-- `text`: The text to search.
-- `pattern`: The pattern to match.
-
-**Returns:**  
-An array of `PatternMatch` objects.
-
----
-
 ### `by_pattern`
 Returns an iterator function that yields `PatternMatch` objects for each occurrence.
 
@@ -241,9 +162,38 @@ func by_pattern(text:Text, pattern:Pat -> func(->PatternMatch?))
 - `text`: The text to search.
 - `pattern`: The pattern to match.
 
-**Returns:**  
+**Returns:**
 An iterator function that yields `PatternMatch` objects one at a time.
 
+**Example:**
+```tomo
+text := "one, two, three"
+for word in text:by_pattern($Pat"{id}"):
+    say(word.text)
+```
+
+---
+
+### `by_pattern_split`
+Returns an iterator function that yields text segments split by a pattern.
+
+```tomo
+func by_pattern_split(text:Text, pattern:Pat -> func(->Text?))
+```
+
+- `text`: The text to split.
+- `pattern`: The pattern to use as a separator.
+
+**Returns:**
+An iterator function that yields text segments.
+
+**Example:**
+```tomo
+text := "one two three"
+for word in text:by_pattern_split($Pat"{whitespace}"):
+    say(word.text)
+```
+
 ---
 
 ### `each_pattern`
@@ -258,6 +208,58 @@ func each_pattern(text:Text, pattern:Pat, fn:func(m:PatternMatch), recursive=yes
 - `fn`: The function to apply to each match.
 - `recursive`: If `yes`, applies the function recursively on modified text.
 
+**Example:**
+```tomo
+text := "one two three"
+text:each_pattern($Pat"{id}", func(m:PatternMatch):
+    say(m.txt)
+)
+```
+
+---
+
+### `find_patterns`
+Finds all occurrences of a pattern in a text and returns them as `PatternMatch` objects.
+
+```tomo
+func find_patterns(text:Text, pattern:Pat -> [PatternMatch])
+```
+
+- `text`: The text to search.
+- `pattern`: The pattern to match.
+
+**Returns:**
+An array of `PatternMatch` objects.
+
+**Example:**
+```tomo
+text := "one! two three!"
+>> text:find_patterns($Pat"{id}!")
+= [PatternMatch(text="one!", index=1, captures=["one"]), PatternMatch(text="three!", index=10, captures=["three"])]
+```
+
+---
+
+### `has_pattern`
+Checks whether a given pattern appears in the text.
+
+```tomo
+func has_pattern(text:Text, pattern:Pat -> Bool)
+```
+
+- `text`: The text to search.
+- `pattern`: The pattern to check for.
+
+**Returns:**
+`yes` if a match is found, otherwise `no`.
+
+**Example:**
+```tomo
+text := "...okay..."
+>> text:has_pattern($Pat"{id}")
+= yes
+```
+
 ---
 
 ### `map_pattern`
@@ -272,9 +274,103 @@ func map_pattern(text:Text, pattern:Pat, fn:func(m:PatternMatch -> Text), recurs
 - `fn`: A function that transforms matches.
 - `recursive`: If `yes`, applies transformations recursively.
 
-**Returns:**  
+**Returns:**
 A new text with the transformed matches.
 
+**Example:**
+```tomo
+text := "I have #apples and #oranges and #plums"
+fruits := {"apples"=4, "oranges"=5}
+>> text:map_pattern($Pat'#{id}', func(match:PatternMatch):
+    fruit := match.captures[1]
+    "$(fruits[fruit] or 0) $fruit"
+)
+= "I have 4 apples and 5 oranges and 0 plums"
+```
+
+---
+
+### `matches_pattern`
+Returns whether or not text matches a pattern completely.
+
+```tomo
+func matches_pattern(text:Text, pattern:Pat -> Bool)
+```
+
+- `text`: The text to match against.
+- `pattern`: The pattern to match.
+
+**Returns:**
+`yes` if the whole text matches the pattern, otherwise `no`.
+
+**Example:**
+```tomo
+>> "Hello!!!":matches_pattern($Pat"{id}")
+= no
+>> "Hello":matches_pattern($Pat"{id}")
+= yes
+```
+
+---
+
+### `pattern_captures`
+Returns an array of pattern captures for the given pattern.
+
+```tomo
+func pattern_captures(text:Text, pattern:Pat -> [Text]?)
+```
+
+- `text`: The text to match against.
+- `pattern`: The pattern to match.
+
+**Returns:**
+An optional array of matched pattern captures. Returns `none` if the text does
+not match the pattern.
+
+**Example:**
+```tomo
+>> "123 boxes":pattern_captures($Pat"{int} {id}")
+= ["123", "boxes"]?
+>> "xxx":pattern_captures($Pat"{int} {id}")
+= none:[Text]
+```
+
+---
+
+### `replace_pattern`
+Replaces occurrences of a pattern with a replacement text, supporting backreferences.
+
+```tomo
+func replace_pattern(text:Text, pattern:Pat, replacement:Text, backref="@", recursive=yes -> Text)
+```
+
+- `text`: The text to modify.
+- `pattern`: The pattern to match.
+- `replacement`: The text to replace matches with.
+- `backref`: The symbol for backreferences in the replacement.
+- `recursive`: If `yes`, applies replacements recursively.
+
+**Returns:**
+A new text with replacements applied.
+
+**Example:**
+```tomo
+>> "I have 123 apples and 456 oranges":replace_pattern($Pat"{int}", "some")
+= "I have some apples and some oranges"
+
+>> "I have 123 apples and 456 oranges":replace_pattern($Pat"{int}", "(@1)")
+= "I have (123) apples and (456) oranges"
+
+>> "I have 123 apples and 456 oranges":replace_pattern($Pat"{int}", "(?1)", backref="?")
+= "I have (123) apples and (456) oranges"
+
+>> "bad(fn(), bad(notbad))":replace_pattern($Pat"bad(?)", "good(@1)")
+= "good(fn(), good(notbad))"
+
+>> "bad(fn(), bad(notbad))":replace_pattern($Pat"bad(?)", "good(@1)", recursive=no)
+= "good(fn(), bad(notbad))"
+```
+
 ---
 
 ### `split_pattern`
@@ -287,23 +383,42 @@ func split_pattern(text:Text, pattern:Pat -> [Text])
 - `text`: The text to split.
 - `pattern`: The pattern to use as a separator.
 
-**Returns:**  
+**Returns:**
 An array of text segments.
 
+**Example:**
+```tomo
+>> "one two three":split_pattern($Pat"{whitespace}")
+= ["one", "two", "three"]
+```
+
 ---
 
-### `by_pattern_split`
-Returns an iterator function that yields text segments split by a pattern.
+### `translate_patterns`
+Replaces multiple patterns using a mapping of patterns to replacement texts.
 
 ```tomo
-func by_pattern_split(text:Text, pattern:Pat -> func(->Text?))
+func translate_patterns(text:Text, replacements:{Pat,Text}, backref="@", recursive=yes -> Text)
 ```
 
-- `text`: The text to split.
-- `pattern`: The pattern to use as a separator.
+- `text`: The text to modify.
+- `replacements`: A table mapping patterns to their replacements.
+- `backref`: The symbol for backreferences in replacements.
+- `recursive`: If `yes`, applies replacements recursively.
 
-**Returns:**  
-An iterator function that yields text segments.
+**Returns:**
+A new text with all specified replacements applied.
+
+**Example:**
+```tomo
+>> text := "foo(x, baz(1))"
+>> text:translate_patterns({
+    $Pat"{id}(?)"="call(fn('@1'), @2)",
+    $Pat"{id}"="var('@1')",
+    $Pat"{int}"="int(@1)",
+})
+= "call(fn('foo'), var('x'), call(fn('baz'), int(1)))"
+```
 
 ---
 
@@ -319,5 +434,11 @@ func trim_pattern(text:Text, pattern=$Pat"{space}", left=yes, right=yes -> Text)
 - `left`: If `yes`, trims from the beginning.
 - `right`: If `yes`, trims from the end.
 
-**Returns:**  
+**Returns:**
 The trimmed text.
+
+**Example:**
+```tomo
+>> "123abc456":trim_pattern($Pat"{digit}")
+= "abc"
+```
diff --git a/examples/patterns/patterns.c b/examples/patterns/patterns.c
index ade68e0..180ab43 100644
--- a/examples/patterns/patterns.c
+++ b/examples/patterns/patterns.c
@@ -851,7 +851,14 @@ PUREFUNC static bool Pattern$has(Text_t text, Text_t pattern)
     }
 }
 
-static OptionalArray_t Pattern$matches(Text_t text, Text_t pattern)
+static bool Pattern$matches(Text_t text, Text_t pattern)
+{
+    capture_t captures[MAX_BACKREFS] = {};
+    int64_t match_len = match(text, 0, pattern, 0, NULL, 0);
+    return (match_len == text.length);
+}
+
+static OptionalArray_t Pattern$captures(Text_t text, Text_t pattern)
 {
     capture_t captures[MAX_BACKREFS] = {};
     int64_t match_len = match(text, 0, pattern, 0, captures, 0);
diff --git a/examples/patterns/patterns.tm b/examples/patterns/patterns.tm
index 8ca5faa..6afcdc2 100644
--- a/examples/patterns/patterns.tm
+++ b/examples/patterns/patterns.tm
@@ -10,8 +10,11 @@ lang Pat:
         return Pat.from_text("$n")
 
 extend Text:
-    func matches_pattern(text:Text, pattern:Pat -> [Text]?):
-        return inline C : [Text]? { Pattern$matches(_$text, _$pattern); }
+    func matches_pattern(text:Text, pattern:Pat -> Bool):
+        return inline C : Bool { Pattern$matches(_$text, _$pattern); }
+
+    func pattern_captures(text:Text, pattern:Pat -> [Text]?):
+        return inline C : [Text]? { Pattern$captures(_$text, _$pattern); }
 
     func replace_pattern(text:Text, pattern:Pat, replacement:Text, backref="@", recursive=yes -> Text):
         return inline C : Text { Pattern$replace(_$text, _$pattern, _$replacement, _$backref, _$recursive); }
@@ -42,11 +45,3 @@ extend Text:
 
     func trim_pattern(text:Text, pattern=$Pat"{space}", left=yes, right=yes -> Text):
         return inline C : Text { Pattern$trim(_$text, _$pattern, _$left, _$right); }
-
-func main():
-    >> "hello world":replace_pattern($Pat/{id}/, "XXX")
-    >> "hello world":find_patterns($Pat/l/)
-
-    for m in "hello one two three":by_pattern($Pat/{id}/):
-        >> m
-