To expand on an earlier answer, I will plagiarize an answer provided by Derek Holt in a sci.math thread: A "standard" example of that is the Baumslag-Solitar group G = < x,y | y x y^-1 = x^2 > which is isomorphic to the multiplicative group generated by the 2x2 rational matrices x = [ 1 1; 0 1 ], y = [ 2 0; 0 1 ], and N = < x >. Then x N x^-1 = N and y N y^-1 < N, but N is not normal in G because y^-1 N y is not contained in N. End of plagiarism. Perhaps you can enhance this example to your purpose. Gerhard "Ask Me About System Design" Paseman, 2009.01.15