Pattern Search Regular Expression

[subhabangalore at gmail.com]

Dear Group,

I am trying to search the following pattern in Python.

I have following strings:

 (i)"In the ocean"
 (ii)"On the ocean"
 (iii) "By the ocean"
 (iv) "In this group"
 (v) "In this group"
 (vi) "By the new group"
       .....

I want to extract from the first word to the last word, 
where first word and last word are varying.

I am looking to extract out:
  (i) the
  (ii) the 
  (iii) the
  (iv) this
  (v) this
  (vi) the new
      .....

The problem may be handled by converting the string to list and then 
index of list. 

But I am thinking if I can use regular expression in Python.

If any one of the esteemed members can help.

Thanking you in Advance,

Regards,
Subhabrata