Get exact match with LIKE - SQL/PHP

Question

Given the text:

"Hello, I'm from Hell",
"Hello, I'm from Ell"

and the following SQL clause:

SELECT * FROM table WHERE text LIKE '%ell%'

I get both the texts above, but I don't want to get both texts, because I was looking for the text "Ell" and not "Hell"

If anyone knows what I mean, can you help me out?

Thanks in advance!

EDIT:

BETTER EXAMPLE

Like when you want to look for the word 'big' but it can't be part of any other word like 'bigger' or 'biggest'

Answer 1

You could use the MySQL Regex word boundary matching:

SELECT * FROM table WHERE text REGEXP '[[:<:]]ell[[:>:]]'

This matches a string which cosntains the word ell with a word boundary on either side.

Answer 2

Can you search for a space as well?

SELECT * 
FROM table 
WHERE text LIKE '% ell%'
OR text LIKE 'ell%' // needed if string starts with ell