diff --git a/CHANGELOG b/CHANGELOG
index 2d19d2d..7be5966 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG
+++ b/CHANGELOG
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 *SVN*
 
+* Add String.prototype.startsWith, String.prototype.endsWith, and String.prototype.include.  Closes #7075.  [Tobie Langel]
+
 * Improve performance of String.prototype.escapeHTML by using a cached div and text node.  Closes #6937.  [altblue]
 
 * Make setStyle() with opacity: 0 in Internet Explorer work correctly.  [Thomas Fuchs]
diff --git a/src/ajax.js b/src/ajax.js
index 0ee1632..518dedb 100644
--- a/src/ajax.js
+++ b/src/ajax.js
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ Ajax.Request.prototype = Object.extend(new Ajax.Base(), {
     
     // when GET, append parameters to URL
     if (this.method == 'get' && params)
-      this.url += (this.url.indexOf('?') > -1 ? '&' : '?') + params;
+      this.url += (this.url.include('?') ? '&' : '?') + params;
       
     try {
       Ajax.Responders.dispatch('onCreate', this, this.transport);
diff --git a/src/string.js b/src/string.js
index 8449934..75e72f1 100644
--- a/src/string.js
+++ b/src/string.js
@@ -140,6 +140,18 @@ Object.extend(String.prototype, {
       return '"' + escapedString.replace(/"/g, '\\"') + '"';
     else
       return "'" + escapedString.replace(/'/g, '\\\'') + "'";
+  },
+
+  include: function(pattern){
+    return this.indexOf(pattern) > -1;
+  },
+
+  startsWith: function(pattern){
+    return this.indexOf(pattern) == 0;
+  },
+
+  endsWith: function(pattern){
+    return this.indexOf(pattern) == (this.length - pattern.length);
   }
 });
 
diff --git a/test/unit/string.html b/test/unit/string.html
index 9322932..00829d0 100644
--- a/test/unit/string.html
+++ b/test/unit/string.html
@@ -322,6 +322,29 @@
       assertEqual('\'test \\\'test\\\' "test"\'', 'test \'test\' "test"'.inspect());
     }},
     
+    testInclude: function() {with(this) {
+      assert('hello world'.include('h'));
+      assert('hello world'.include('hello'));
+      assert('hello world'.include('llo w'));
+      assert('hello world'.include('world'));      
+      assert(!'hello world'.include('bye'));
+      assert(!''.include('bye'));
+    }},
+    
+    testStartsWith: function() {with(this) {
+      assert('hello world'.startsWith('h'));
+      assert('hello world'.startsWith('hello'));
+      assert(!'hello world'.startsWith('bye'));
+      assert(!''.startsWith('bye'));
+    }},
+    
+    testEndsWith: function() {with(this) {
+      assert('hello world'.endsWith('d'));
+      assert('hello world'.endsWith(' world'));
+      assert(!'hello world'.endsWith('planet'));
+      assert(!''.endsWith('planet'));
+    }},
+    
     testSucc: function() {with(this) {
       assertEqual('b', 'a'.succ());
       assertEqual('B', 'A'.succ());